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AN ADDIIESS 


OP 

0E NIIY CLAY, 

TO THE I’UBLIC; 

CONTAINING 

CERTAIN TESTIMONY 

IN EEiFUTATXGN OF THE 

€ HAROS 8 AGAINST SUM\ 

MADE 

BY GEN. ANDREW JACKSON, 

TOUCHING 

The last Presidential Election 


RUSSELLVILLE, KV, 

iiJUWTEa BT EHEA & ATCIll^GT 







E.3HS 

•C fe/3 


Mem*. It was Intention to have published the testlae* 
lay, now laid before tho public, at an earlier period; but una¬ 
voidable, delay in the collection of it, has retarded the execu¬ 
tion of that intention. The letter of Gen. Lafayette, & other 
important documents, have been but lately received ; & oth¬ 
ers, which 1 had just reason te expect; have uct yet been ob- 

ftin«4, JL Co 



I hop* m apology to the public is necessary for presenting 
wit these pages, 1 am deceived if an ample justification 
tfie act will not he found in the breast of every just and hon» 
arable man. If an officer of government should not be too 
sensitive, neither should he be too callous, to assaults upoa 
his character. When they relate to the wisdom or expedien¬ 
cy of measures which he may have originated or supported, 
ho should silently repose in the candor and good sense pf the 
Community ; and patiently await the developments of time 
and experience. Butifhte integrity he vitally assailed; if 
Vue basest and most dishonorable motives for his public con- 
duct be ascribed to him; he owes it to his country, his friends* 
his family and himself, to vindicate his calumniated reputa¬ 
tion. Few men are so elevated that the shafts of calumny 
cannot reach them. These may securely trust to the invul¬ 
nerable position which they have attained. The United 
States have, perhaps, hitherto produced but one man who 
could look dow n from his lofty height, without emotion, upon 
fhe missiles and the malice cl his enemies ; for even he had 
his enemies. If the malignant character of charges, the ac ¬ 
rimony with which they have been asserted k repeated, or the 
perseverance which has marked their propagation, could ev¬ 
er authorize an appeal to the public, 1 think 1 may truly say, 
that 1 have this authority. For three years I have been the 
•bjcctef incessant abuse ; every art, every species of misrep- 
resention, has been employed against me. The most inno¬ 
cent acts—-acts of ordinary social intercourse, and of common 
fcivility«r*-officrs of hospitality, even a passing salutation, 
have been misrepresented and perverted to my prejudice, with 
an unfairness unprecedented. Circumstances have been as¬ 
sumed, which had no existence k inferences have been drawn 
from them, which, had they been real, (hey would not have 
Warranted. Besides, my enemies have themselves appealed to 
the public, exhibited their charges and summoned their wit¬ 
nesses to its bar Beady now, and anxious as I am, and al¬ 
ways have been, to submit any act of my public life to a full 
examination before any impartial and respectable tribunal 
whatever, I surely may expect at least, that 1 shall be pa¬ 
tiently heard by that which my accusers have themselves 
selected* I assure them that 1 will present no plea to the ju¬ 
risdiction, But desirous, as I naturally am, to repel the 
calumnies which have been directed against me, the public 
Would have been spared the trouble of perusing this address, 
if Gen, Jackson had not, in the course of last spring & sum- 
Dior, given to them the open sanction of his name,—In his tet 


4 


j* to Mr. Beverly of the 6th af Jane last, he admits that, ill 
'inferring my privity to the proposition which he describes ag 
borne by Mr. Buchanan, he may have done me injustice ; 
and, in his address to the public, of the 18th of July last, giv¬ 
ing up the name of this gentlemen, as his only witness, he re¬ 
peats that he possibly may have done me injustice in assu— 
filing my authority for that proposition. lie even deigns 
to honor me with a declaration of the pleasure which he will 
experience, if I should be able to acquit myself! Mr. Bor-^ 
hanan lias been heard by the public; and I feel justified in as- 
yertirg that the first impression of the w hole nation was, as 
u is yet, that of every intelligent mind, unbiassed by party 
prejudice, that his testimony fully exhonorated me, and de¬ 
monstrated that General Jackson, to say no more, had great* 
ly misconceived the purport of the interview between them.—* 
And further ; that, so far as any tiling improper was disclo¬ 
sed by Mr. B. touching the late presidential election, it af¬ 
fected Gen. Jackson and his friends exclusively. He having 
manifestly injured me, speculation was busy, when Mr. Bu¬ 
chanan’s statement appeared, as to the course the General 
would pursue, after his gratuitous expression of sympathy 
with me. There was not wanting many persons, w ho believ¬ 
ed that his magnanimity would immediately prompt him, 
publicly, to retract his charge, and to repair the wrong 
which he had done sre. I did not participate in that just ex¬ 
pectation, & therefore felt no disappointment that it was not 
realized.—Whatever other merits he may possess, 5 have not 
found among them, in tjie course of my relations with him, 
that of the forbearing to indulge vindictive passions. His si¬ 
lent contemplation of, if not his positive acquiescence in, tl o 
most extraordinary interpretation of Mr. Buchanan’s state¬ 
ment, that ever was given to human language, has not sur¬ 
prised me. If it had been possible for him to render me an 
'act of spontaneous justice, by a frank and manly avowal of 
his error, the testimony now submitted to the public might 
have been unnecessary. 

Although i feel fully persuaded that the community, undei* 
sr.y peculiar circumstances, will see, without dissatisfaction, 
H‘ not with cordial approbation, this further effort to rescuer 
my character from unmerited imputions, I should neverthe¬ 
less have remained silent, and cheerfully abided its decision, 
on the disclosures and explanations heretofore made, if I had 
r-o additional facts to offer to its consideration. But a body 
of highly important evidence has been collected, establishing 
some material circumstances not before generally known, 6c 
confirming others of w hich the public is already in possess¬ 
ion ; and I have thought it due to the occasion not to with- 
?To?d it. 


feu. Jackson having entirely failed iu establish, by any 
affirmative evidence, either positive or presumptive, thecharge 
which he thought proper to promulgate against me, it occur* 
fed to me that it might be possible, difficult as the task gen¬ 
erally is to substantiate a negative, to adduce proof of that 
character, which would establish the groundless nature of his 
accusation. Prior to the appearance, in the public prints, of 
the letter from Mr. Carter Beverly to his friend in Fayette¬ 
ville, dated the 6th of March last, I had never beFieved that 
Genl. Jackson had countenanced the truth, or lent himself to 
Che circulation of the charge. I had, indeed, Fong before, set'u 
In one of the Nashville papers, assertions, injurious to me, 
which created some suspicions that they had emanated from 
liim ; but I dismissed these suspicions as being altogether 
incompatible with the lofty character which I wished to be¬ 
lieve that he possessed. When, however* l saw that letter, 
and 1 he uncontradicted corroboration of its contents by the 
edit- r of the Washington Telegraph, l was reluctantly roru- 
pe fed to believe that he had given currency to the charge a- 
g: dnsf me. In that letter. Mi. r-everly says: “I havejust 
r om d from Geo, Jackson’s— I found a crowd of company 
with him.—Seven Virgndaiis were oP the number: He gave 
no* a most frio-dly reception, n Urged me to stay some 
dajs longer >- itb id :yj, to! ' me this morning before all 

hi c i : r, ■ r"p!y to a ; dion I put to him concerning 
t‘ ! t ion of Jobr# l) to the Presidency, that Mr. 

Cl if re made « propn/ution to his friends that if they 

woe a.! promise foi him rot t put Mr. Adams into the seat of 
the Sf cretary of Hi fa» Ctay and his friends would, in owe 
fcour nirhe h?m (Ja - the President. lie most indig¬ 

nantly ?“■ jet ted tie- proposition, and declared he would cot 
compromise him- -; and unless most openly and fairly made 
the president, v Congress, he never would receive it. He 
declares that he said to them, that he would see the w hole 
earth sink u» ’er hue before he would bargainor intrigue for 
it.” In the Wnahington Telegraph of the 26th day of April 
last,tlm editor states: “In tho Journal this morning we have 
another qm tat*on from ii c Democratic Cress, purporting to 
be the official contradiction, by Mr. Clay, of tho statement 
of Genl. Jackson, relative to the overtures made to him as to 
the formation of his cabinet, previous to the late election of 
president. ThatG^. Jackson lias spoken oFsuch overtures 
zve personally know” In the same paper of the ?8ib of A< 
pril, is the following paragraph: “The Journal is out this 
morning in reply to our remarks of Thursday, in which they 
affect to consider it highly imp oper in General Jackson fa# 
speak of the overtures made by Mr City's friends—and 
why? because, cays the Journal, he is* caadidato 'fcgair*' 




6 ' 

Mr. Adams. Now ice stated explicitly, that Jackson 

dfyoke of these overtures in March 1825, before he was an¬ 
nounced by the legislature of Tennessee as a candidate.'-* 

The charge, if it did not originate with, having been thus 
sanctioned and circulated by General Jackson, and implica¬ 
ting as well my friends as me, I thought it proper, having 
myself repeatedly and positively denied its truth to resort to 
the testimony of those gentlemen from the West who 
bad voted w ith me for Mr. Adams* Accordingly a friend of 
mine* Dr. Watkins, at my instance, addressed a circular to 
those gentlemen, during the last spring, inviting their atten¬ 
tion to the Fayetteville letter, and inquiring if there were a- 
ny truth in its averments. And he has obtained from all 
of them but two, answers, w hich are now presented to the 
public. These answers wiii be found in the Appendix, (see A) 
arranged according to the respective delegations from which 
they proceed. The writers of t lie in are men of as high respect 
ability as any in this Union Wl q 0 they are known,(&several 
Of them are w ell known in various parts of the country.) then* 
statements will command unqualified belief. The excellence of 
their characters is so well established, that a member of the 
II. of It who will not be presumed to be disposed to be¬ 
stow on them undeserved encomium, felt himself constrained 
to bear bis testimony to it. Mr McDuffie said, hi the House 
of Representatives, on tho debate of the proposition to refer 
to a committee the appeal w hich I made on the occasion of 
Mr. ICremer’s card: “Let me add one word to the friends 
of Mr. Clay on this floor, (and there are no members on this 
door, for whom generally I felt more respect,) 1 have been 
informed that some of his friends suppose that, the amendment 
I have offered contains something w hich is intended to bear 
harshly upon them. Not so; not so. My object is merely 
to coniine*the charges made against the honorable Speaker to 
the very words of tire letter of the gentleman from Penney lva* 
nia.” This just, but voluntary tribute w as expressed on the 
4th of February, 1825, (see National Intelligencer, 5th of' 
the same month. On the S 1st of March, 1826, more than thir¬ 
teen months after, when the amendment to the constitution 
was under discussion, proposing a new rasde of electing a 
President, the same gentleman is reported to have said:-** 
Now I have tho greatest respect for those gentlemen who 
were the personal and political friends of Mr. Clay ill the 
late election of President. Next to my own personal friends t 
ilicrc are none whom I estimate more highly ." (See National 
Intelligencer, 2nd May, 1826.) These answers are not only 
entitled to the fullest credit, from the high respectability of 
the characters uf those gentlemen, but deserve great con- 
iSJence from the fact, that'tipsy have buen respectively pv? • 


t>y ttiemscfves without any concert whatever, 50 fap fc$ 
I know or believe, and when they were at their several Kbit* 
fleeces, widely separated from each other. 

The members from Ohio who voted for Mr. Adams, were 
Gen; McArthur. Gen. Vance. Gen. Beecher, Mr. Slone, Mr* 
Sv right Mr Vinton. Mr McLean, (brother of the Postmas¬ 
ter General'! Mr. Whittlesey Mr. Bartley, and Mr. Patter- 
sun. From each of these gentlemen, it wifi bo seen that an 
explicit and unqualified negative is gnen to the statements of 
the Fayefteville. letter. Gen. McArthur declare* them to b*. 
‘•totally destitute of foundation.” He alleges the fact 
to ha* f bef-n, ‘hat “the Ohio delegation (or at leat a large 
Majority of them,) were the fhst of Mr. Clay*s friends w ho 
Came to thedeiennination of voting for Mr. Adams; and that 
{re o without having ascertain id Vi\ Clay’s views on the sub¬ 
ject'* He stales that some of the friends of General Jack*- 
Son used the language of meuarce, whilst others of them em¬ 
ployed that of persuasion, to prevail on my friends to vote 
for the General; and that they appeared to be willing t£ 
make am promises which they thought “would induce tbt5 
friends of Mr Clay to vote for General Jackson.” 

Gen. V restates, “I say without hesitation that I never 
heard of i • » or any other terms being thought of as an 
quivah nt for the vole we were about to give; nor do I believe 
tl >* *v * of M Clay or Mr. Clay himself, ever 

t , r mating ; r suggesting any terms to any one of tbo 

*♦ - ^, s he; grounds of our acceptance or rejection of ci- 

t i h> ee candidates returned to the House of Ropro- 

g. : : ? lie continues; “as one of the original friends 
©( Clay, I w as in the habit of free and unreserved con- 
\f rsrdion both with him and his other friends, relative t<> 
that election, and i am bold to say, that 1 never heard a whis¬ 
ker of any thing like a condition on which our vote was to 
be given,’mentioned either by Mr. Clay himself, or any of hie 
friends, at any time or under any circumstances.” 

Ge*. Beecher testifies that he did not “know that a friend 
t>r the friends of Mr. Clay ever made any proposition to the 
friends of Gen Jackson, respecting the election of Mr. Ad¬ 
ams as President in any way, or as respecting General Jack- 
son not putting Mr. Adams into the seat of Secrcatry of State 
ip case he (Jackson) should be elected President* Neither 
ar 1 acquainted with a fr iend of Clay that would consent to 
J K > -an agent in such a degrading transaction. Nor caa 
I admit that the friends cf Mr Clay had so contemptible an 
opinion of each other or of Mr. Clay, as to suppose that tiic 
appointment or nan-appointment of any man to any office, 
won? ! influence them hi the discharge of an important pubffo 
duty 


i 

f $Tr. £louwe declares, “that I have always *«pposetf lay* 
self in the entire confidence of all Mr. lay’s supporters and 
friends, who were member? of C ongress at the tune of the 
Presidential election; and that 1 have no hesitation in saying 
that 1 never heard the most distant insinuation from any of 
them, ihat they would vote for General Jackson, if there was 
any prospect of choosing either of the other candidates. That 
any of the friends of Mr. Clay i» Congress ever made any 
proposition of conditions, on which their votes w ould depend, 
to the friends of Gen. Jackson or any other person, I do not 
Relieve.” “ And as to Mr. Clay’s accepting an appointment 
tinder him, they would to a. man most certainly have opposed 
it. I judge of this from the opinion which I know they en¬ 
tertained of Gen. Jackson’s want of capacity , and the fact 
that it was not until some time after the choice of Mr. Adams 
that they agreed to advise Mr. Clay to accept of the office 
lie now holds. I > short, 1 feel confident that the whole is a 
vile, and infamous falsehood, such as honorable men would not 
frceort to, more especially after having, upon full consulta¬ 
tion and deliberate consideration, declined an investigation 
of the whole matter before a committee of the House of Rep* 
resontatives.” 

Mr. Wright states, “I can only say sincerely and unequiv¬ 
ocally* that I do not know or believe that any proposition irf 
the kind mentioned as from Gen. Jackson, was ever made to 
the friends of Gen. J. by the friends of M r. C. or any of them; 
that I am wholly ignorant of any conditions of any sort being 
'proposed to any one by the friends of Mr. Clay, on & compli¬ 
ance with which their vole w as made to depend.” 

Mr. Vinton is equally explicit. He says, “having been 
Wne of the friends of Mr. Clay who voted for Mr. Adams, I 
cheerfully avail myself of this opportunity to say, that l have 
no knowledge whatever of the above mentioned proposition* 
or ar.y other proposition having been made to Gen, 
Jackson or any of his friends, by Mr. Clay or any of his 
friends, aft a condition upon which his or their vote was to 
lie given to Gen. Jackson for the Presidency.” He subjoins 
that, “it was well known to my constituents for many months 
previous to the late Presidential election that, after Mr* Clay, 
Mr, Adams was my next choice among the distinguished 
individuals who were then before the people of the United 
States as candidates for that ixalted station.'* 

Mr. M’Lcan declares, “that no such proposition was eve? 
made within my knowledge, nor have 1 any cause to believe 
lhat ? renditions of any sort were made, at any time, by the 
fiend of Mr flay, to any person, on a compliance with 
Chirk tVcr vote w as made to detrtnl.” 

Whittlesey *vcts that “i du u?t know • r believe that 


9 

any proposition was over made by any of Mr. Clay’s fWentfs 
to those of Gen. Jackson, cn the morning of tiie Presidential 
election, or at any other time, having any bearing on thecara* 
didate to be selected from the three returned to the House,* 
nor do I know or bc!w ve that any conditions of any sort were 
proposed by the friends of Mr. Clay to any person, on a cons* 
p iance with which their vote was made to depend, “but I do> 
believe that the assertion made by Genl, Jackson, as re*- 
ported by a highly respectable Virginian, and all of the char¬ 
ges of a like character, imputing either to Mr. Adams or Ml 
C lay, or to their friends, any improper, inconsistent, corrupt 
or fraudulent conduct, on that interesting and momentuou& 
u( easion, are base slanders, known to be such by those who 
put them in circulation.” 

Mr. Bartley expresses the belief hi justice to Gen. Jacksot^ 
that he never made the declaration alluded to by Mr. Bevep* 
ly. “For the General was tlnere when the election took plac% 
find must inevitably have know that such a statement would 
ca ry falsehood on the very face of it.” He adds “I was i& 
the house, I believe every day of that session, at which the 
President was elected ; and have no hesitation in saying* 
that so far front making any proposition, or overture, were 
the friends of Mr. Clay, in favor of the General, that had the 
friends of the Gen. made such a proposition we wottld have con* 
sides ed it as an indignity ofiered to our integrity k understand 
ding.” 

Mr. Patterson is brief but pointed. He says: “I frankly 
state to you that if any such proposition as you state was' 
made by the friends of Mr. Clay to those of Gen. J. I had nd 
knowledge of it, and I was one of the friends of Mr. Clay. I 
therefore believe the report to bo without an honest found a* 
tion.” 

In passing from the testimony of the delegation from Ohio td 
that of Kentucky, we shall find it to he not less irresistible 
and decisive in negativing the declaration of Gen. J. commu¬ 
nicated to the public through Mr. Beverly. The Kentucky 
delegation consisted of twelve members ; eight of w hom, Mp. 
Trimble, Mr. F. Johnson, Gen. Metcalfe, Mr. Letcher, Mr. 
Buckner, Mr. Thompson, My. White and myself vote d for 
Mr. Adams. From six of them statements have been receiv¬ 
ed. That from Mr. White has not reached this city ; but 5 
am justified in stating that he has repeatedly, within his dig* 
trict after his return to Kentucky, borne unqualified testimoe 
uy to the falsehood of all charges of corruption in the et* 
lection, and especially to the propriety of my conduct; anti 
I have no doubt that he will, whenever called upon, repeal 
fclie same testimony. 

Mri Trimb&says, “I do not know of my owa knowledge 


10 

Kjor have I been informed by others, that affera, prapasitiobs* 
®r overtures, such as are spoken of by Gen. J. in bib letter to 
Beverly, ©r similar thereto, or of any kind whatever, were 
Jnade by Mr. Adams or his friends, to Mr. Clay or hisfriends, 
or by Mr* Clay or his friends to Got.eral Jackson or his 
friends, I do not know, nor do I believe that Mr. Adams or 
bis friends made overtures or offers, directly or indirectly, 
to Mr. Clay or his friends to make him Secretary of 
State, if he & his friends would unite in aid of the election of 
Mr. A. Nor do I know or believe that any pledge or promise 
of any kind was made by Mr. Adams or his friends to Mr. 
Clay ©r his friends, to procure his aid in the election. 

“i never heard from Mr. C. or any of his friends, or any 
one else, that he was willing to vote for Gen. .1. if the General 
•would say, or any of his friends for him, that Mr. A. should 
tot be continued Secretary of State. Nor do I know or be¬ 
lieve that Mr. Clay ever expressed a willingness, or any 

his friends for him, to support or vote for Grn. Jackson# 
if he could obtain the office of Secretary of State tinder him.’ 3 ’ 

“I do not know or believe that any overtures or offers of 
any kind were made by Mr. Clay or his friends to Mr. Ad¬ 
ams or his friends, to vote for him or Support him if he would 
irake Mr. Clay Secretary of State, or to Gen. Jackson or his 
friends to vote for him or support him, if he could obtain the 
office of Secretary of State* under him $ nor do 1 believe Mr* 
Clay w ould have taken the office under him if he had been e* 
tected.” f shall hereafter have occasion to notice other parts 
of the letter of Mr* Trimble from which the proceeding ex¬ 
tract has been taken. 

Mr. F, Johnson states, in bis answer to Dr. Watkins, “S 
lave no hesitation, however, in answering your inquiries, 
After writing the above extract, you say to tne—“If such & 
proposition were made by the friends of Mr. Clay to those of 
General Jackson, it must have keen known to many persons, 
cmd the fact, therefore, may he ascertained. May 1 ask the 
fevor of you to inform me whether you know or believe any 
such proposition was ever made, or whether conditions of 
any sort were made by the friends of Mr. Clay to any per¬ 
son, on compliance with which their vote was to depend?’* 

“To the first branch of the inquiry, my answer is, that I 
have no knowledge of ary such proposition, nor do I believe 
any such was ever trade. To the second I answer, that I 
fteither know of, nor do I believe that any conditions, of any 
sort* were made by the fi ietuls of Mr. Clay to any person on 
compliance with which their vote was to depend.” 

General Metcalfe, with his characteristic firmness and 
frankness, says: “1 have to state, that I never heard or 
thought of such a proposition until the letter of the highly 


It 


respectable Tirginiftn appeared in the public prints. 1 ’ Ws 
proceeds, “ As one of the friends of Mr. Clay, I enter the 
aost solemn protest against the right of the General, through 
bis organ the highly respectable Virginian, or otherwise, to 
say that I would have assisted in making him President o» 
the condition stated,—On the contrary, if I could have 
been made to believe that Gen. Jackson would not have of¬ 
fered to Mr. Adams the place which he had filled with s* 
■inch ability under Mr. Monroe, that belief would have con* 
stituted in my mind a strong additional objection to the Gen*» 
Aral’s success.” “If it is intended to import the belief that 
Mr. Clay’s friends were desirous of obtaining the appoint*? 
Bient for him to the exclusion of Mr. Ada ns, or otherwise 
fender General Jackson, as one of his friends, I pronounce ifc 
a base and infamous assault upon the motives and honor, s® 
far as I am concerned or believe of those who did not choose 
to support him for the Presidency.” “In reply to your se¬ 
cond enquiry, I have to say, that if conditions of any sort, 
were ever made by the friends of Mr. Clay to any person, 
•n a compliance with which their vote was made to depend, 
I know nothing of it.” 

Judge Letcher, the only member of Congress who boarded 
sin the same house with me, during the s ssion at which the 
Presidential election was mad*:, testifies: “I know of no such 
proposition or intimation, nor have I a knowledge of any fact 
or circumstance which would induce me to believe Mr. Clay’s 
friends, or any one of them, ever made such a proposition te 
the friends of Genl. Jackson.” 

Mr. Thompson, “says I know of no proposition made by the 
friends of Mr. Clay to the friends of Gen. Jackson to make 
him President if he would not select Mr. Adams to the seat 
of Secretary ; ami 1 do not believe a proposition of any kind 
was made, and I expect, if the friend of the General should 
ever speak on the subject, he would he a second K» emer.” 

Mr. Buckner testifies: “In answer to your enquiries on 
ibis subject, I will remark that I have no reason tp believe 
that any such proposition was made. Indeed no proposition 
of any description relating to the election of President was 
made, so far as 1 know or believe, by Mr. Clay’s friends to 
til use of General Jackson, or of any other person.” 

Mr. Scott, the member from Missouri, states that “neither 
Mr. Adams nor his friends ever made any promises or ovtiv 
tsire3 to me, nor did they hold out to me any inducements of 
any sort, kind, or character whatever to proc ure me to vot« 
{hr Mr. Adams, Nor did Mr. Adams or any cfhis friends ever 
say or insinuate who would be placed at Hie head of the De* 
nartment of State, or any other Department in the event that 
' " *% Adams should be elected. Nor do I believe any proper 


iftions were made to Mr. Clay or his friends, by Mr. Att¬ 
ains or ills friends. If there were, I know it not.” “1 nevr 
«r made to Gen. Jackson or to any of his friends any propo¬ 
sition in reference to the Presidential election, either as re¬ 
garded the appointment of Mr. Clay or any other person 
to office, or the exculsion of Mr. Adams or any other person 
loin office. I was neither spoken to by Mr. Clay or any of 
liis friends about making any proposition to Gen. Jackson or 
his friends of any kind whatever, nor did 1 ever hear it in¬ 
sinuated or hinted that any proposition was made or intend¬ 
ed to be made, by Mr. Clay or his friends to Gen. Jacks.in 
or Ids friends, or to any other candidate or their friends lor 
or relating to the Presidency. And I do believe had any 
proposition been made or intended to have been made by Mr, 
C lay or ins friends, from my intimacy and constant intem* 
do arse with them, 1 should have known or heard thereof.” 

Messrs. {Surely and Crept were the two members who 
gave the vote of Louisiana to Mr. Adatns, Mr. Gurley de¬ 
clares *‘that I have no knowledge of any propositions hav¬ 
ing been made by the friends of Mr. Clay or any of them 
to the friends of General Jackson or to any other person 
sn relation to the election of President, or the proposition 
of conditions of any sort, on a compliance w ith w hich their 
vote w as made to depend. I believe the charge wholly desti¬ 
tute of truth.” 

Col. Brent says, “In allusion to the Fayetteville letter I 
•annof express the indignant fe etn gs it excite® It is the fab¬ 
rication of a desperate mao, who to obtain his object dare^r 

assert what he knows to be false. You ask me to say, 
whether 1 know or believe that such a proposition was ever 
made, or whether conditions of any sort were proposed by 
the friends of Mr. Clay to any ore, on the compliance with 
which their vote was made to depend. No honorable man 
®an believe for a moment that such a proposition was ever 
made, or such a condition stipulated: I was a friend of Mr, 
Clay’s throughout the contest, I was in the confidence of all 
his frier ds, and I declare to God that 1 never heard of suck 
thing until it was asserted by the disappointed adherents of 
Gen, Jackson. 1 am not only ignorant of any such arrange¬ 
ments. but do not believe they ever existed ” 

Thus there is now before the public the united evidence of 
the delegai toii from every Western State whose vote was 
conferred upon Mr. Adams, except that of Mr. Cook, the 
Bepresentative from Illinois. A long and lingering illness^ 
terminating in the death of that gentleman prevents the sub¬ 
mission of But it is well know that Mr. Adams was his 
®hoi e, throughout, the whole Presidential canvas. Although 
Cbetc eA.suu vciweeu him ami my sell good w ill ami rosjiee^ 


fnt intercourse* be never was politically nor personally my* 
.friend. 


Including* Mr. White, the public has the evidence of twen¬ 
ty members of Congress, embracing all my friends from the 
Westcrn States, who voted for Mr. Adams. Their attention 
was chiefly directed, in the preparation of their respective 
statements, to the Fayetteville letter, and it is to then ft that 
ilicir testimony principally applies On that point, they ail 
ocucur in pronouncing the most unqualified negative, and, on 
other points, several of them are not less explicit, is it cred¬ 
ible, is it consistent with the ordinary operations of liiw 
tr.an nature, that these gentlemen, without any personal in** 
terest or motive whatever, should have first basely givcij 
their concurrence to dishonorable overtures, for my sole bea- 
eit, and then should unanimously agree in falsifying (han¬ 
sel ves? 


In the published circular which, in March 1855, I address- 
©d to nay constituents, i remarked “at that early period, 5 * 
(early in November, 1824,) stated to Ur Drake, one of 
the professors in the medical school of Transy lv ania Univer¬ 
sity* and to John J. Crittenden, Esq. of Frankfort, my de¬ 
termination to support Mr Adams, in preference to Genl* 
Jackson ’* 1 did not, at that time, recollect, nor do 1 proba¬ 

bly now, all the occasions on which I expressed in convert 
satiotu my opinion of the unfitness of Geni. Jackson for the 
Presidency, and my preference ©f either of the other candid¬ 
ates. I remembered distinctly the conversation I had held 
with Dr. Drake, and John J. Crittenden, Esq. and therefore 
referred to them In several instances, similar conversa¬ 
tions have been since brought to my recollection by gentlemen 
with whom, or in whose presence, they occurred; & it is $roo£ 
a voluntary friendly communication of the purport of them, 
that I am now enabled to lay before the public a considerably 
portion of the mass of testimony on that particular topic 
which is now presented. (See Appendix U.; 

This testimony establishes that, on various occasions ami 
times, beginning in Kentucky as early as Vbaut the 1st of 
October, 18$*, and continued in the city of Washington down 
to the period when my determination to vote for Mr. Adams 
was generally know in this city, I uniformly expressed my 
Conviction of Gen. Jackson’s want of qualification, &ray ftx»<£ 
resolution not to vote for him, if i were called upon to give 
a vote. These sentiments, long cherished, were delio irate¬ 
ly expressed, to gentlemen of the highest respectability, most, 
ef them my persona! and particular frie ds in ail of whoso 
estimation I must have stood dishonored, if I had Yoted for gen. 
Jackson eontrarily to ray declared purpose. This purpose 

gaj? apywl u»»ed'a‘e*J preening u>j iepurinre fr®* . 


u 


tZ attend ^ougress, and immediately on*«y arrival her® afa 
ter the termination of the journey. David Trimble esq. 
3 tates that, about the first of October, 18 24, he held a con¬ 
versation with me at Frankfort, in Kentucky, on the subject, 
and prospects of the pending election, which he details min¬ 
utely, and that in the course of it 1 said, “that I could not con* 
Bistently with my principles, vote for General Jackson, 
under any possible circumstances.” I urged to him ail the 
objections which weighed on my mind, and which have been 
30 often stated, and especially that which is founded upon 
General Jackson’s possession of military preUne on only. 
And in reference to an objection which Mr. Trimble under¬ 
stood me as entertaining against Mr. Adams, growing out of 
the negotiations at Ghent, Mr. Trimble states that I remark¬ 
ed that it had been “greatly magnified by the friends of Isis 
competitors” “for electioneering purposes:” “that iiou . i t 
to have no influence in the vote which h» might be called 
upon to give; that, if he was weak enough to allow his per¬ 
sonal feelings to influence his public conduct, there would b<s 
no change in his mind on that account, because he was tli»»« 
on much worse terms with Gen. Jackson about the Semin I© 
war, than he could ever be with Mr. Adams about the tr ea ty 
of Ghent; that in the selection of a chief magistrate for the 
Union he would endeavour to disregard ail private feelings, 
and look entirely to the interests of the country and the safe* 
ty of its institutions.” 

It appears from the letter of Mr. Robert Trimble, (- iae of 
He Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United 
Slates,) which accompanies that of Mr. D. Trimble, that the 
latter had avowed to the former, as early as February op 
March, 1824, his preference of Mr. Adams to either of the 
three candidates who were actually returned to the House of 
Representatives. 


Col. Davidson (the Treasurer of the State of Kentucky, 
and a man of tiablemished honor. & unquestionable veracity) 
states that during a visit which I made to Frankfort in th® 
Ijhll of 1824, and he thinks only a few days prior to my de¬ 
parture from Kentucky, to attend Congress, it must there- 
£ re hare been early in November, as I left home before op 
about the tenth of that month) he had a conversation will® 
D e about the then pending Presidential election, in the course 
« f which he remarked, that I would have some ditfi tilt) to 
© nun ter in making a selection amongst fhe candidates, il ( 
9 ’ oold he e xcluded from the House. To whnh 1 replied—* 
suppose not much ; in that event I will endeavor to do my 
clrty faithfully. M He adds that I mated, in the course of die 
<*>'• ersation: “I cannot conceive of any event that can \> s- 
happen* waich could indue© mo to support the uiac&sjv 


is 

of (Sen. J'nrksion to the Presidency, For, if I had no other olfr 
jction, his want of the necessary qualifications would be suf¬ 
ficient.”—These remarks made a strong: and lasting impres¬ 
sion on Col. Davidson’s mind, Ac when the resolutions were 
before the Legislature requesting the delegation to vote for 
General Jackson, Col. Davidson informed several cf his 
friends of the conversation with me, and that he was con¬ 
vinced I would not support Gen. Jackson. He communica¬ 
ted the substance of this conversation to George Robinson, 
Esq. the Speaker of the Douse of Representatives of Ken** 
tucky, who concurred with him, that I could not consistent* 
ly, under any circumstances, vote for Gen. Jackson. 'When 
the same resolutions were before the Senate, (of which Col; 
Davidson was then a member,) he rose in his place and oppo** 
lied them, and among the views which he presented to that 
body, he stated that all the resolutions which they could pass 
during the whole session , would not induce me to abandon what 
l conceived to be my duty , and that he kne'io I could not conctty 
With the majority of the Legislature on that subject. 

John J. Cr.ttenden, Esq (who is referred to in the circular 
to my constituents, but whose statement has never before been 
exhibited to the public,) testifies that, “some timo in the fall 
of 1824 conversing upon the subject of the then pending- 
Presidential election, and speaking in reference to your ex* 
elusion from the contest, and to your being called upon to’ 
decide Sc ' ^te between the other candidates who might be re» 
turned to the House, of Representatives, you declared that you 
could not, or that it w as impossible for you to vote for Gens 
Jackson in any event My impression is, that this convert 
Ration took place at Capt. Weisiger’s tavern in this town, 
[Franktort, Kv.] not long before you went on to Congress* 
in the Fall proceeding the last Presidential election, and that 
the declaration made by you as above stated, was elicited by 
some intimation that fell from me, of my preference for Gerft 
Jackson over all the other candidates except yourself.” 

So unalterably fixed was my resolution prior to my depart 
lure from Kentucky, 1 have no doubt that, in my promised* 
ous and unreserved intercourse among my acquaintances iit» 
that State, others not recollected by me, could bear testimo¬ 
ny to the undeviating and settled determination of my mimH 
It will be now seen that after, and immediately on my arri¬ 
val at the City of Washington, I adhered to this purpose# 
and persevered in it until it w as executed by ths actual dew 
pusitc of my vote, in the ballot box, 

in a day or two after I reached the City, and on several 
other occasions, I had long Ac unreserved conversations witk 
Mr. Johnson, Senator from Louisiana, to an account of which 
as given ia his letter in the Appendix, I invite particular 2&r 


teutier,. <Tho first was on the Saturday or Sunday bcfoie flic 
Commencement of Congress, in 1824, and after f find seen Mr, 
Crawford, I stated to Mr. Johnson, that, notwithstanding 
all load heard,! had no idea of his actual condition, atnd 
flint if was out of the question to think of making him Presi¬ 
dent. \> e conversed fully on the respective pretensions of 
r * Adams and General Jackson, and after drawing a par* 
nJe! between them, I concluded hy expressing a preference 
vor Mr, Adams, which “turned principally on his talents, and 
experience in civil affairs.** After the returns of the votes 
oi Louisiana, and after the resolutions of the General As- 
pernh ly of Kentucky were received, Mr. Johnston states my 
i nncrenco to that preference. He concludes by observing 
no fact ever came to iliy knowledge that could in the 
slightest degree justify the charge which has been exhibited. 
On the contrary* f know that your opinion did not undergo 
Jy an g e from the time I first saw you on your return to 
» ashington,” that is, prior to the meeting of Congress. Da# 
ring the present summer, two gentlemen in the State of Mis¬ 
sissippi, voluntarily told Mr. Johnston that fhev heard me 



Although not immediately connected with the main object 

OI this aodrp.ee. f fliinlr n ___ _ r . » 








T? 

aiWastm* frem the boos®* And yet, fn our &r$l intervfsw, fa 
answer to an inquiry which he made, I told him, without hesita¬ 
tion, ‘ that I should vole (or Mr. Adams in preference to Get?* 
Jakson.’ 1 

With the present Secretary of War, I had a conversation in 
the early part of the session of 1824-5, on returning from a din** 
her at the Colombia College, at whUh we both were in company 
with Gen. Lafayette and others The day of the dinner was th© 
!5th oi December, which may be verified by a resort to the Na* 
?i nal Intelligencer In the course of that conversation, Mr* 
§arbour states that he expressed himself, in the event of the con* 
test being narrowed down to Mr. Adams and Gen Jackson, io 
f; * or of Mr Adams, and Mr. Clay expressed a coincidence of 
©pinion * 

It will be recollected that General Lafayette was in Wash* 
Ington duiing the greater part of the session of the President 
t al election. He mentioned the subject to me with characteristic 
eh lircu-.y Without seeking to influence my vote, or manifesting 
the least disposition to interfere in the election, he made a sim s 
p : “ inquiry of me, which J am quite sure was prompted by rhe 
sleep interest which he felt in every thing that concerns the wel. 
? e nf f his country. I am happy to be able now to submit the 
statement of the General of what passed between us on that occa* 
s ; f«n. He says: “Blessed as I have lately been with the welcome, 
and rons ious as it is my happy lot to be of the affection and 
confidence ot all parties and all men in every party within th© 
“United Stages, feelings which 1 most cordially reciprocate. lev¬ 
er have thought myself hound to avoid taking any part in local 
©r personal division* Indeed, if I thought that in these matters 
tuv influence could b* of any avail, it should be solely exerted 
t« depreciate, not by f , the.,free, republican, and full discussion 
ol principles and candidates, but those inviduoua slanders 
which although they are happily repelled by the good sense, tha 
candor, and in domestic in tances, by the delicacy of the American 
people, ‘end to give abroad incorrect and disparaging impress, 
inns,-—Yet, that line of conduct from which I must not deviate ex* 
cept in imminent cases now out of the question, does not imply 
a forgetfulness of facts, nor a refusal to state them occasionally. 
My remembrance concurs with your own on this point, that in 
th* latter end of December, either before or after my visit to 
Annapolis, you being our of the presidential candidature, Si after 
having expressed my above mentioned motives of forbearance, I, 
by way of a confidential exception, allowed myself to put a 
simple unqualified question, respecting your electioneering 
guess, and your intended vote. Your answer was that, in 
your opinion, the actual state of health of Mr. Crawford had 
limited the contest to a choice between Mr. Adams and Gen. 
Jackson; that a claim founded on military achievements did 
pot meet your preference ; and that yon had concluded to 
vote f r Mr. Adams. Such has been, if not the literal wording, 
91 loaat the freest of a conversation which it would 



iV 

iiftVC been inconsistent for me to carry farther air! nof U Xittp" 
$, secret, while a recollection of it, to assist your memory If 
should not now deny, not only to you as my friend, but to a- 
ay man in a similar situation*” 

General Lafayette was not able to state, with absolute pre¬ 
cision, the date of the conversation between us, nor can I un¬ 
dertake to specify the day, although l retain a perfect recolt* 
lection of the conversation. It was, he says, “in the lattes* 
end of December, either before or after my visit to Annapolis* 
you being out of the Presidential Candidature.” He left; 
Washington on the 18th for Annapolis, and returned on the 
21st. [See National Intelligencer.] If the conversation took 
place before that excursion, it must have been on or prior to 
the 16th of Dece mber. But he says that I was out of thr 
^Presidential Candidature.” Whether I should be returned 
to the House or not, was not ascertained until the vote of 
Louisiana was known. Rumours had reached this city of the 
issue of it previous to the 20th of the month; but the first certain 
intelligence of it was brought here by Mr. Senator Bouligny 
©n the 20th according to his recollection. On General La¬ 
fayette^ return from Annapolis, the probability is that th© 
Subject of the Presidential election was a common topic of 
Conversation, as information had then just reached the city 
from'Louisiana. I called to see him immediately after bis 
return, and, as it had been very confidently expected that I 
Would receive the vote of Louisiana, it is quite likely that it 
was on that occasion that he held the conversation with me* 
This would fix the day to have been prior to Christmas. But, 
whatever was the actual day, there can be no doubt that it 
was before the memorable interview between Gen,Jacksoii 
and Mr. Buchanan. 

Here then, is an unbroken chain of testimony, commence* 
ing early in October 1824, and extending to nearly the end 

the year, establishing, beyond all controversy, my fixed 
and unwavering decision not to vote for Gen. Jackson.* Tine 
purpose is deliberately manifested at different periods in differ¬ 
ent places, & to distinguished individuals who would have 
been the last, h society that I should have thought of deceiv¬ 
ing. This testimony stands unopposed, &, with truth, cannot 
I>e opposed by a solitary individual. There does not exist a her* 
man being, & if the dead could be recalled, one could not be 
summoned from the grave, who could truly testify that 1 evep 
expressed or ever intimated the remotest intention to vote for 
Leu. Jackson, in any contingency whatever. As to him, my 
Blind was never for w moment in doubt or difficulty: And 
whatever personal predilection I might have entertained fop 
Mr. Crawford, of whose state of health there were such op-* 
3<*8ite represciitoUo&a in the public prints, when l gjny 


fcaysetf, tvas alternative in my judgment fmf tfia| 
Trhicti I embraced. I have reason to believe that Genera? 
Jackson and his friends cherished no expectation that I would 
Tote for him. Gen Call, the then delegate from Florida* 
was his ardent and intimate friend, and had been his Aid* 
They travelled together on their journey to Wshington City 
in the fall of 1824 In a letter from General Jackson to Mrs. 
Eaton, which is contained in the 66th page of the 28th vof. 

Niles’ Register, he states that General Cal! was with him 
on that journey, A he refers to him as coroborating his ovvfl 
memory relative to a transaction at Washington (Pennsylvan¬ 
ia.) It is presumable that the election with its prospects 
and hopes must have frequently formed a subject of conversa.- 
tion on the journey. It can scarceley be doubted that Gener¬ 
al Call was well acquainted with General Jackson’s views! 
and expectations. At a tavern at Rockville* in Maryland* 
about fifteen miles from this city, during that same journey* 
Gen. Call and several other gentlemen engaged in conversa¬ 
tion about the presidential election. John Braddock, Esq (a 
gentleman not known to me, but who. 1 understand, is amer- 
Chant of great respectability) was present; and he states that 
^when the vote which Mr. Clay would probably give was 
Spoken of, Gen Call declared that the friends of General 
Jackson did not expect Mr. Clay to vote for him, and if ho 
did so, it would be an act of duplicity on his part.” [See Ap* 
pendix C.] 

In Gen. Jackson’s address to the public of the 18th of July 
last, touching his previous statements to Mr. Beverly, and 
oommunicating the name of Mr. Buchanan, as the gentleman 
who bore the imaginary overture, he says, “the origin—the 
beginning of this matter was at my own house and fire side $ 
where surely a freeman mav be permitted to speak on public 
topics, without having ascribed to him improper designs.** 
From this statement, the fair inference is, that General Jack- 
3011 intends to aver that he had never before spoken of hid 
charge against me The “origin, the beginning” March, 
1827, when, according to Mr. Beverly, before a crowd of 
company of which there were no less than seven Virginians, 
he proclaimed his accusation. The obligation to observe 
the principles of honor, and to speak with scrupulous verfr- 
eity of all men* and especially cf our competitors, is unaffec¬ 
ted by time or place. The domestic fire side has no privilege 
which exempts a man of honour from the force of that obliga¬ 
tion. On the contrary there, more than in any other place* 
in the midst of ore’s family, should examples be exhibited of 
*rnth, of charity, and of kindness towards our fellow men. 
All the surrounding circumstances tend to soothe the vindie* 
+ij?z $3331083, to inctiloate jnotferattah Whether 


^irivifteges ofthe domestic circle have bees abased by (General 
Jackson, or not in my instance, let the impartial world de¬ 
cide. The attitude in which he stood before the American 
people and the subsisting relations between him and me, one 
Eight have supposed would prompt him to the observance of 
the greatest delicacy. Has he practised it? If indeed, in 
an unguarded moment of hilarity, amidst his convivial friends, 
in his own domical, he had incautiously touched a subject, 
respecting which he might have been expected to prescribe to 
himself the most profound silence, he might possibly find, not 
any justification, but some excuse for his indiscretion, in th© 
public liberality* But what must be thegeneral surprise when 
the fact turns out to be that the “origin—the beginning” of 
this matter \\ ith Gen. Jackson, was not, as he alleges, in 
March, 1827, but at leasl two yea^s before; not, as he also 
alleges at his ow n home and fire side, but in public places, 
on the highway, at taverns, and on board a steam boat ! I 
have expected to receive testimony to establish the fact >| Pie 
promulgating his charge «n all those various occasions, du¬ 
ring his journey on his return from Congress in March, 1825. 
At present, I have only obtained in part. (See Appendix D ) 

Mr Daniel Large testifies, “that on my way down the 
Ohio from Wheeling to Cincinnati, in the month of March, 
1825, on board thestiamboat General Neville, among many 
ether passengers were Gen* Jackson and a number of gentle¬ 
man from Penns} Ivania, some of whom remarked to the Gen¬ 
eral that they regretted that he had not been elected President 
instead of Mr. Adams* Gen. Jackson replied, that if he would 
have made the promises and offers to Mr. Clay, that Mr. A. 
had don *, he(G;n. Jackson) would then, in that case, have 
been in the Presidential chair, but he would make no promis¬ 
es to any ; that if he went to the Presidential chair he would 
go with clean bauds, and uncontrolled by any one 99 

lo this statement, Mr. WiJIiam Crosdeli, who was pre¬ 
sent, subjoins a certificate that “it is a faithful account of 
General Jackson’s conversation on the occasion alluded to.** 
Jtotb of those gentlemen, [ have been informed, are respecta¬ 
ble citizens of Philadelphia. 

1 have understood, that to the ftev. Andrew Wylie, Majotf 
Davis, and others in Washington in Pennsylvania, on one 
Occasion ; at a tavern in West Alexandria, in the same coun¬ 
ty on another ; at Brownsville ; at Cincinnati ; at Louis¬ 
ville ; and at Bowling-Green, in a tavern in Kentucky, Gen¬ 
eral Jackson made simlar assertions. Should the additional 
proof expected arrive, it shall be presented to the public*.— 
\V hethe r such was the d esign or not, General Jackson ap- 

•«ee Mr. S:mm# Mr. Howe's si&ifc&sHts, reived bias* this 

tras m pruM, (A, tfwuU »*) 




p&irs to havo proclaimed his accusation, at suck Cenvoiu6tf$ 
and separated points, as would insure its general circulation* 
"WMiavu the. testimony of General Duff Green, (which is at 
Iadmissible on such an occasion) that, he personalty kne\# 
of Genera! Jackson speaking to the same effect as early at* 
March, 1825. 

Thus it appears that* in March 1825, at various places, in* 
the presence of many persons, Gen. Jackson took upon him¬ 
self to represent that Mr. Adams had made offers to me, and 
that if he had made similar proposals, he, and not Mr. Ad¬ 
ams, would have been elected President. With what truth 
then can he assert, as he. has done, that the “origin” of liig 
charge was two years afterwards, at Ins own fireside? Or 
that he “lias not gone into the highways k market places? 
to proclaim his opinions? 

Whilst he has made no protest against any benefit whick 
fnight accrue to himself from the dissemination of such at 
Charge against me, he i» extremely desirous not to be consid¬ 
ered as my public accuser. He has indeed not appeared be¬ 
fore a grand jury to support a bill of indictment against me. 
Meither did he arraign me, when acting under the oath of a 
Senator of the United States, he passed upon nay nomination* 
hit, if he can he regarded as a public accuser, who, on nun 
snerous occasions, to particular individuals, as well as before 
crowds of people, in public as well as in private places* 
charges another with a political offence. General Jackson u* 
nites the double character of my public and private accuser. 
With him I have been reluctantly compelled to believe ths 
accusation originated.— Whether from an'honest misconcep¬ 
tion of the purport of Mr. Buchanan’s interview with him* 
(which no one can doubt was the source of the calumny) or 
from the design of promoting his own interests, the injury to 
me has bean the same. The public (as I certainly had) priofc 
to the last summer, supposed that the charge had ©rigina- 
ted with Mr. George Krsmcr’s letter to the Colombian Oh* 
server. But recent disclosures of General Jackson and bis 
partisans, satisfactorily establish that altough the stenf* 
ness of Mr. Kroner's patriotism prompted him “to cry a* 
loud and spare not/’ he must be striped of the borrowed 
merit of original invention, Which impartial justice require^ 
Should now 1)0 transferred to a more distinguished person- 
age. A brief summary of incontestible facts will evince tb£ 
justness of this observation. 

It was the policy with which the political campaign wab 
Conducted in the Winter 1824-.% b$ the forces of the Gener¬ 
al, in the first instance to practice stratagem with my friends 
and mo. Accordingly the arts of persuasion and flattery 
vrere employed, But as I did not hasten to give in my adlte* 


#fhn, and remained most mysteriously silent, Sn other tvoHfil 
Wd not converted myself into a boisterous and zealous par*** 
tizan of Gen. Jackson, it became necessary to change thafc 
policy, and to substitute intimidation for blandishment. Miv 
K rfmer presented himself as a fit agent in this new work* 
He was ardent, impelled by a blind and infuriate zeal, and 
irresponsible, and possesed at least the faculty of clamorous 
Vociferation. His letter to the Colombian Observer was pre* 
pared, and he was instructed to sign and transmit it. That 
be was not the author of tire letter, be has deliberately ad- 
Knitted to Mr. Crowninshiled, former Secretary of the Navy. 
*Fhat he was not acquainted witn its contents, that is, did net 
•omprebend the import of its terms, has been sufficient!} es¬ 
tablished. To Governor Kent, Co). Little, (who voted in 
the House of Representatives for Gen. Jackson,) Col. Brent 
of Louisiana,*. Mr. Digges, he disclaimed all intention of im 
feting any thing dishonorable to me. (See Appendix B.) V h© 
was tiip real author of the letter published in the Colombian 
Observer to which Mr. Krcmer affixed his signature, 1 will 
Rot undertake positively to assert. Circumstances render it 
l ighlv probable that it was written by Mr. Eaton, & with the 
I now-ledge of Gen. Jack sou. In relation to the card of Mr, 
feremer, in answer to that which 1 had previously inserted 
In the National Intelligencer, I remarked in my circular to 
tny constituents, that the night before the appearance of Mr. 
Kretner’s, “as I was voluntarily informed, Mr. Eaton, a 
Senator from Tennessee, and the biographer of General Jack- 
son, (who boarded in the end of this City opposite to that in 
which Mr Krcmer took up his abode, a distance of about 
two miles and a half,) was closeted for some time with 
him*” This paragraph led to a correspondence between Mr. 
Baton and myself, in the course of which, in a letter from 
ire to him, under dat# tha Slst March, 1825,1 observe* 
•‘it is proper for me to add that 1 did believe, from your noc¬ 
turnal interview with Mr. Kretuer, referred to in my address* 
that you prepared or advised the publication of his card, in 
the guarded terms in which it is expressed. I should be 
happy, by a disavowal on ynar part, of (he fact of that inter¬ 
view, or of its supposed object, to he able to declare, as in 
the event of such disavowal, I would take pleasure in declar¬ 
ing, that I have been mistaken in supposing that you had any 
agency in the composition or publication of that card.” No 
Occasion can be conceived more fitting for an explicit denial 
^f any participation on the part of Mr. Eaton, in the trails* 
action referred to It w as the subject of (be correspondence 
between us ; A 1 purposely afforded him an honorable oppor* 
Par ity of avowing or disarming any co-operation with Mr* 
$5j*€mer. Instead of embracing it, he dees not deny the via?? 




ft, nor my inf? nee from it. On the contrary, Le says it 
|ii* letter ot r , March, I&2C* suppose the fact to be that 

I dirt visit h h : ( ( 5.4v. mer,) and suppose too that it was^ 
as you have Ie icturnal visit: was there any thing; 

• x:st* ig that h< , ! Wave denied »ie this privilege?" 

As Mr. Bremer ^sh*- rte<l that he did not write the letteu 
to the Colombian Observer, and as Mr. Eaton doe 9 not 
deny that tie wrote the card, published in Mr. Krcrncr’s naine e 
the inference is not unfair that haying been Mr. Kremcr’s ad¬ 
viser and amanuensis op one. occasion, be acted in the same 
character on the other, it is quite clear that the statements* 
in the letter to the Colombian Observer are not made upon Mr 
K < n r*s own knowledge. He ‘‘speaks of reports. rumors^ 
kc Overtures were said to have been made \c. &c.” 

It is most probable that those statements are founded o* 
Gen. Jackson’s interpretation of the object of Mr. Bu< ban- 
a* ’s interview. How did he obtain the information whult 
w ns coin nonicated to the Colombian Observer? Upon thfc 
supposition that 4he letter was prepared by Mr. E we ran 
at once comprehend it fie was perfectly apprised of all that 
pa sed bctiuvH Mi*. Buchanan and Gen. Jackson. The co¬ 
incidence of the language employed in the letter to thCo¬ 
lombian Observer, with that of Gen. Jackson to Mr. Carter 
Beverly iff very striking and proves that it has a romm »a 
origin. Mr 14. Bays, •'overtures wer* said to have been 
jotade to tlie friends of M». C. offering him the appointment 
of Secretary of State for b aid t« eject Mr Adams.” Gen. 
Jackson says ‘ He [Mr. Ba >' •?»*] said he had been inform-** 
td by th« friends of Mr. Clay t, i the friends of Mr. Adams 
had made overtures to them, sityicg if Mr. Clay and his 
friends would unite in aid of ti e election Mr. Adams, Mr, 
Clay should be Secretary of State.” J’lv nriati ms between 
other par ts of <lie two letters are not greater than often os* 
tur in different pan tives of the same conversation. They 
are not so great as those which exist in the accounts which 
Gen. Jackson has trmseif given, at different times, of the 
game transaction. This will be manifest from a eomparssoo 
ot Mr. B verly’s repot tot* the conversation, a* the Hermitage* 
©otKaiced in bis Fayetteville letter of the 8th of M irch last 
with Gen. Jackson’s statement of the same ronveration, in hie 
Inter to Mr Beverly of the 6th of June. Speaking of this let¬ 
ter Mr. Beverly says (in his letter to N. £ane, esq ) that Gen, 
Jackson •‘‘asserts a great deal more than lie ever told me.” 

From flic intimacy which existed between Generai Jncksosa 
ami >'lr. Eaton, and from the fart, stated bv them both, o£ 
th* ledge which each possessed «f Mr. Buchanan’s 

(?<-n s ?.• .1 i* ra.nn be r :»■ v ooibted, if Mr. Ea-» 

ii4u> ixruijjU)t’& i©dfc»-a % flu* Jacket* tj/aj* 



ty?sp?aintc?l wTtli tfj ?3 feet* It is worfhy of particular obsrs- 
vation that up to this day, as far as I am informed, Mr. Kre- 
xr.cr has most carefully concealed th-o source whence he deriy 
ed the statements contained in his famous letter. 

The rancour of party spirit spares nothing, ft pervades, 
it penetrates every where. It doss not scruple to violate >he 
sanctity of social and private intercourse—It substitutes fee 
facts dark surmises and malevolent insinuations—It misrep¬ 
resents and holds tip in false and iiividuous lights inci¬ 
dents, perfectly harmless in themselves, of ordinary occur* 
re nee <>» of mere common civility. More than once, in these 
agitated times, has an unsuspecting and innocent conversa¬ 
tion, which 1 have held with an individual, and which I 
*never entertained the slightest su pi cion was to be the (ext 
of newspaper animadversion, been published with scandalous 
perversions in the puolic prints, and supplied aliment for ma¬ 
lignant criticism. The intercourse .and relations between 
Gen. Jackson and myself have furnished a copious theme of 
detraction and misrepresentation These remarks are made 
in justification of the allusion which ! feel constrained to 
make to a subject which, although there is nothing appertain¬ 
ing to »t that I can desire to conceal, or which can occasion 
me any regret should never he touched, without the raws*, ar¬ 
gent necessity. I would not now refer to it, if i had nr t.*t> 
much ground to believe that he has countenanced, if net 
prompted very great misrepresentations, which have first 
appeared in newspapers supporting his cause and enjoying 
his particular confidence of circumstances, information aboui 
which must have been derived from him. 

My personal acquaintance with General Jackson com* 
menced in the Fall of 1815, at the City of Washington. Pri* 
or to that time, I had never seen him. Our intercourse was 
then friendly and cordial. He engaged to pass a week of the 
ensuing summer at my residence in Kentucky. During that* 
senr.aI received a letter from him communicating his regret 
that lie vvafc prevented from visiting me. I did not again see 
him until that session of Congress at which the events of the 
Seminole War were discussed. He arrived at Washington 
in the midst of the debate, and after the delivery, but before 
the publication o ! the first speech which I pronounced am 
that subject. Waiving all ceremony, I called to see him, 
intending by the visit to evince, on my part, that n® opinio*: 
which a sense of duty had comp, lied me to express of his pub* 
lie conduct, ought to affect our personal intercourse. My 
visit was not returned, and [ was subsequently told that he 
vras in tin habit of inducing in tlie Vfterest observations up- 
sin most of those (ivy self am eng -be number) who had called 
4h. gpcstiez* the propriety ei his military conduct u\ the Sea ify 


£3 

yele War. 1 saw wo wore of him, except possibly at & dis¬ 
tance during the sa ne winter, in this City, until the summer 
of the year 1819. Being' in that summer, on my way from 
2s’<'w Orleans to Lexington, and travelling the s&'.ine ruad to 
■Nashville, we met at Lebanon in Kentucky, where! had 
stoptto breakfast. I was sitting at the door in the shade 
reading a newspaper, when the arrival of Gen. Jackson 
and his suite was announced. Ashe ascended the steps and 
approached nje, I rose and saluted him in the most respect* 
ful manner, tie darted by me, slightly inclining his; head# 
and abruptly addressing me. lie was followed by .some of 
fois suite who stopped with me some time, giving me the 
4est information of my family. I aftewards learnt that GenL 
Jackson accompanied President Monroe, in a visit to my 
f amily, and partook of some slight refreshment at my housg£ 
On leaving the tavern at Lebanon, l had occasion to go ini¬ 
tio a room where 1 found Genh Jackson seated reading a 
aewspaper, and 1 retired, neither having spoken to the other, 
and pursued my journey, in company with four or five trap 
veiling companions. 

Such was the state of our relations at the commencement; 
of the session of congress in 1823 the interval having passe*! 
without my seeing him. Soon after his arrival here to attend 
that session, I collected from certain indications that he had 
resolved upon a general amnesty, the benefit of which was te 
he extended to me, lie became suddenly 'reconciled with some 
individuals between whom and himself there had been a long 
existing enmity. The greater part of the Tennessee delegation 
(all 1 believe except Mr. E. & Gen. Cocke) called on me to# 
gether early in the session, for the express purpose as I 
stood, of producing a reconciliation between us. I related, in 
.substance, all pftheaboveclrcumstaffices,including the meeting 
at Lebanon. By way of apology for his conduct at Lebanon* 
some of the gentlemen remarked that he did not intend any 
disrespect to me, but that he was laboring under some i»~ 
disposition, i stated that the opinions which I had expressed Ui 
the House of Representatives, in regard to Gen. Jackson’9 
military transactions, had been sincerely entertained iSc were 
still held, but that being opinions in respect to public acts* 
thej never had been supposed by me to form any just occa¬ 
sion for private enmity between us, and that none had been 
•herished on my part. Consequently there was on my side 
no obstacle to a meeting vith him, and maintaining a res^ 
pectful intercourse. For the purpose of bringing us together 
the Tennessee representatives, all of who n according to my 
recollection* hoarded at Mi>. Claxton’s, on Capitol H*II,gave 
a dinner to which w T e were both invited, and at which 1 re- 
jarember* Mr* Senate? White, then acting a* a Commissioner 



$nder the Florida treaty, and others were present. We the?® 
met, exchanged solutions, and dined together* 1 retired 
from the table early, and was followed to the door u ^erc, 
Jackson and Mr. Eaton, who insisted on my taking a seat in 
their carriage. I rode with them and was set own at my 
own lodgings. I was afterwards invited by Gen. Jackson to 
dine with him, where I met with Mr* Adams, Mr. Calhoun, 
Mr. Southard and many other gentlemen, chiefly members 
,of Congress. He also dined, in company with fifteen op 
eighteen members of Congress, at my lodgings, and we fra* 
qucntly met, in the course of the winter, always respectfully 
addressing each other. 

Just before I left Kentucky the succeeding fall, (Nov* 
1824,) to proceed to Washington, a report reached Lexing¬ 
ton that Gen. Jackson intended to take that place in his route 
to the city. Our friendly intercourse having been restored* 
in the manner stated, l was very desirous that he should ar¬ 
rive, prior to my departure from home, that l might offer to 
him the hospitality of my house, and lest he might misinter¬ 
pret the motive of my departure, if it proceeded his arrival. 
In this temper of mind, I thinnk it quite possible that 
I may have said that, if I had been aware of his intention to 
pass that way, 1 would have written to him when 1 intended 
to set out, and urged him to reach Lexington before I started 
on my journey, I certainly never contemplated travelling 
in company with him, having some time before made all my 
arrangements for the journey with the gentlemen who accom¬ 
panied me, and having determined upon a route, different 
from the usual one, which was taken by Gen. Jackson. It 
Las been affirmed that l wrote to him expressing a wish to ac 
company him to the city of Washington, & his silence would 
eeem to imply an acquiescence, in the correctness of thestate^ 
ment, if it were not put forward on his suggestion. I am 
quite sure that I did not at that period write him a letter of 
any description ; but if 1 did, 1 here express my entire as*» 
sent to the publication of that or any other letter addressed to 
him by me. I do not believe that I did, because 1 do not 
think that there was time, after 1 heard of his intention to 
come by Lexington, for a letter from me to reach Nashville* 
and an answer to be returned, before it was requisite to com¬ 
mence the journey—a punctual attendance on my part being 
necessary as the presiding officer of the house. If such a 
letter had been (as most undesignedly it might have been) 
written, can any thing more strongly illustrate the spirit of 
hostility against me than the unwarrantable inferences which 
have been drawn from that assumed fact? When I left home 
in November l did not certainly know the electoral v»te of 
£ solitary stale in the Union, Although i. did net doubt 


27 

reaolt of that fa Kentucky, the returns had not come fa* 
and the first authentic information which I received oi the 
vote of any state, was that of Ohio, which reached me on the 
Kenawha, during the journey, more than two hundred miles 
from my residence. Whether I would be one of the three 
returned to the House of Representatives was not ascertained 
Until more than three weeks after I had reached Washington* 
Is it not, then, most unreasonable to suppose, if I had written 
*uch a letter as ba» been imagined, proposing that we should 
travel together, that I could have had any object connected 
with the presidential election? I reached Washington sever* 
al days before him. Shortly after his arrival, he called to 
see me, but I was out, 1 returned the visit, considering its 
in both instances one of mere ceremony. I met with him but 
tarely during that session, and alv\ays, when! did see him, 
in company. 1 sought no opportunities to meet him, for, ha** 
ring my mind unalterably fixed in its resolution not to vote foir 
bim, I wished to inspire him with no hopes from me. The presi¬ 
dential election never w as a topic, to which the most distant 
allusion w as made by me, in any conversation with him, but 
once, & that happened at a dinner given by the Russian Min¬ 
ister, the late Baron of Tuyll, on the 24th December, 182&,-. 
I recollect the day, because it was the birth day of the late 
Emperor Alexander. About thirty gentlemen composed the 
party, and among them Mr. Adams, Mr. Calhoun, Gen* 
Jackson, and, I think, Mr. Macon. Just before we passed 
Iron ihe drawing into the dining room,-a fcroupe of some eight 
or ten gentlemen were standing together, of whom General 
Jackson and I were a part, and Internal Improvements (I do not 
recollect how) became the subject of conversation. I observed 
to him, in the course of it, that if be should be elected President, 

I hoped the cause would prosper under his administration* Ho 
made some general remarks, which 1 will not undertake to state* 
lest I should do him injustice. 

My principal inducement to the publication of this address, 
being to exhibit the testimony which it embodies; it forms no 
part of my purpose to comment on the statement* which havo 
been published of Messrs Buchanan,Eaton, Isaacs, and Markley, 
all cithern the friends of Gen Jackson, on the occasion of the 
late election. Neither shall I notice the numerous false¬ 
hoods of annonymous writers, and editors of newspapers, with 
which the press has teemed »o my prejudice. The task would 
be endless. To guard against any misinterpretation that might 
be placed on my silence, in respect to a letter from Mr. Harria 
son Munday, which has been widely circulated* and which wad 
published at a period chosen to affect the Kentucky election, 1 
declare that whether this letter b^. genuine or not, its, statement® 
are altogether groundless I never bad such a conversation 

tyitb him as that letter describes, respecting Mr, Adams, who* 


/ 


ai tie time wheo ft *b all cged to have faappefied, w>a* abroad 
arid of whom at that early period, there had been certainly no 
general conversation regard to his election «o the Presidency, 
lire appointment which Mr, Markley holds, was conferred upcaa 
him in consequence of the very strong recommendations of 
him, principally for a more important office, from numerous 
bigly respectable persons of all parties, in various parts of Penn 
sylvania, from some of the Pennsylvania delegation, among? 
whom Mr. Buchanan took a warm and zealous interest in hi« 
behalf, and from the support given to him by the Secretary of 
the Treasury, to which department the appointment belonged. 

Whon it was ascertained that 1 was not one of the three 
c&snlidate.s who were returned to the Fonse of Bepresenta- 
fives, I. was compelled to vote, if I voted at all, Br one of 
those .actually returned. The duty which the people devolv¬ 
ed on me was painful arid perilous, and 1 anticipated that 
was impossible for me, w hatever course 1 should take, to es» 
cape ce ns lire. I confess that the measure has transcended 
all expectation, if it be Pot unexampled. It has been seeia 
that my opinion was early arid deliberately formed, undcp 
circumstances where no personal motive could have sw ayed 
me ; that it was adhered to without deviation ; and that it 
was avowed again and again, not to one @r two but to many 
persons, not in obscurity, but standing high in the public 
estimation and in my own. iNot a particle of opposing tes¬ 
timony has been, or with truth cars be, adduced, I have in* 
deed derived consolation from the reflection that, amidst 
all the perturbation of the times, no man has yet been found! 
hardy enough to assert, that I ever signified a purpose of 
voting for* Ben.. Jackson. It has been seen that, so far as a» 
v.y advances were made, they proceeded from the side of 
Oen. Jackson. After our meeting at Lebanon, ages might 
have rolled away, and if we both continued to live, I nevasr 
w ould have sought the renewal of any intercouse with him. 
TV hen he came to the Senate, & at the commencement of the 
r><ext session of Congress, the system of operation decided.on* 
in respect to my friends & me, w as one of courteous and as¬ 
siduous attention. From that, the transition w as to a scheme? 
of intimidation* of which Mr. Kiemer’s letter is only a small* 
part of the evidence. Intimidation of a representative of the 
people in the discharge of a solemn trust? That is the last 
day of the Republic on which such means shall be employed 
and publicly sanctioned. Finding me immovable by flattery 
or fear, the last resort has been to crush me by steady and 
unprecedented calumny . Whether this final aim shall be 
crowned with success or m'd, depends upon the intelligence 
of the American people. I ppaske no appeal to their s.ympse- 
thy I invoke only stern justiiXgf 


£9 

If truth has not lost its force, reason its sway, &nd the 
fountains of justice their purity, the decision must be auspi* 
eioHs, With a firm reliance upon the enlightened judgment of 
the public, and conscious of the zeal and uprightness w ith 
whi h l have executed every trust committed to my care, I 
await the event without alarm or apprehension. Whatever 
it may be, my anxious hopes will continue for the success of 
the great cause of human liberty, and of those high interests 
of national policy, to the promotion of which the best exer*- 
tior.s of my life have been faithfully dedicated. And my hum- 
bit, hut earnest, prayers will be unremitted that all danger 
may be averted from our common country ; and, especially, 
that our union, our liberty, and our institutions, may long 
Surv ice, a cheering exception from the operation of that fa¬ 
tal decree, which the voice of all history lias hitherto unfe 
form I y proclaimed, 

a. OLAY* 

yk Asmsexcm, December, lgafv 

s> 





APPENDIX. 


OJ 

Chilicothe, May, IS, 1827. 

S m : With respect to the letter front Nashville, of the 
3th of March last, originally published in the Fayetteville 
Observer, to which you have done me the honor to call my 
attention, in your favor of the first of this month, I can only 
state, that, so far as my knowledge extends, the assertion of 
the writer “that Genera) Jackson told me, [him] this morn¬ 
ing bt’forc all his company, in reply to a question I put to 
him... concerning the election of John Q. Adams to the Presi¬ 
dency, that Mr. Clay’s friends made a proposition to his 
friends that if they would proini.se/or him 7ioi to put Mr. 
Adams into the seat of Secretary of State, Clay & his friend# 
would, in one hour, make him, Jackson, the President,” is to¬ 
tally destitute of foundation. 

It is well known that when it was ascertained that Miv 
Clay would not be one of the three highest persons voted for 
by the Electoral Colleges, for the office of President, my next 
choice was Mr. Crawford. Bad it not been for the ill health 
of that gentleman, and the little prospect there was of his ul¬ 
timate success, several of the Ohio Delegation, besides my¬ 
self, would have given him their support. And, it is with 
l-cgret, that 1 now see his friends so much divided, and many 
of them uniting with a party by whom he had been so ungen¬ 
erously persecuted. 

It was evident to all that the election did then lie between 
Mr. Adams and General Jackson. And, although so much 
has been said and written, in order to induce a belief that Mr. 
Clay had transferred and influenced his friends to vote for 
Mr. Adams, the fact, is that the Ohio Delegation, (or at least 
& large majority of them,) were the first of Mr. Clay’s friend# 
came to the determination of voting for Mr. Adams, amt 
f] lu 't too without having ascertained Mr. Clay’s views on the 
Subject. 

Oiiii'* had interests at stake, which could not, under any 
Circums *a nc€S be abandoned or jeopardized, The course 
which General Jackson and many of his friends in Congress, 
had pursued with regard to Internal Improvements, and the 
hili for the revision of the Tariff; and, indeed, in relation 
to almost every measure which we deemed of importance to 
the country generally, & more particularly to the Western 
-States, put it out of our power to support the pretentions of 
^he General, without at the same time, abandoning what \v$ 

^33cicntioHsly believed Is be our duty* On the other haod| 


IT 

if, was Evident, fhat, for the support of those mtf&stices, ©tsi* 
Orty reliance was upon the friends of Mr. Adams, the iden¬ 
tity ofinterest between the Northern and Western States^ 
ai d the liber ality of the Eastern members of Congress. 

Another, and still more serious consideration with us^ 
v as, the qualifications of those gentlemen from whom, tm« 
drr the provisions of the Constitution, a President was to be 
selected by the House 

So far as I was acquainted with the sentiments of Mr, 
Clay’s friends, 1 do not believe that they could have been pre<* 
vailed upon to have supported the election of General Jack* 
eon upon any conditions whatever, much less that of exclu¬ 
ding Mr. Adams from the appointment of Secretary of States 

The language held by some of the friends of the General* 
before the election, teas* that the friends of Mr. Clay durst 
7 wt \ote for any man other than General Jackson. This wad 
so often repeated, in a menacing manner, that it sertned 
that they already considered us chained to the car of the 
General ; and if viewed in that degrading light, what in¬ 
ducement could we have had to ask, or to offer conditions of 
any kind? But it is also true that others of the Generali 
friends used, what they no doubt conceived, more persufts-* 
*ve language. Indeed they appeared to he willing to make 
any promises which they thought would induce the friends 
of Mr. Clay to vote for General Jackson. 

I do not believe, however, that General Jackson ever made 
the statement attributed to him, as such “slang” does not 
Comport with the character of a soldier, or of a high minded 
honorable, man Nor do I believe, as I before stated, that a- 
ny such a proposition was ever made by the friends of Mr* 
Clay to thoseof General Jackson, or that propositions of any 
kind were ever made hy them , to any person, as a condition, 
upon the compliance with which, their vote w r as made to lie* 
pend. But, if the fact should be otherwise, let the proof ap¬ 
pear, and the names of the persons be published, so that the 
world may know and judge how far they ©tight, of right, to 
be considered the friends of Mr. Clay, or wen authorized to 
make such a proposition. 

X have the honor to he, very respectfully, your oh’t. serv’C, 

DUNCAN M’ARTHUR, 

Doctor T. Watkins < 

Vrhana , July 1327. 

Sir : On my return from a visit to West Point* 1 fount} 
your favor of the 5th of May /and w ith great cheerfulness an* 
€wer the question therein propounded. 

- You ask me, as one. of the friends of Mr. Clay, that voted 
fey Mr, Adams, if I knevy of any proposition being sxiade tO 


General friends, by Mr. $Fay, or bis friend#, 

O af if he# Jackson, would not appoint Mr. Adams Secretary* 
of State, that we, the. friends of Mr C would support him for 
the Presidency. E say.,, without hesitation, that ! never heard 
of those or any other terms being thought of, as an equivalent; 
for vote v e were about to give, nor do F believe that 
the friends of Mi** Clay, or Mr. Clay himself, ever thought 
of mating or suggesting any terms to anyone of the parties, 
fPp grounds of our acoeplence or rejection of either of the 
three candidates returned t the House of Represent lives. 
As one of the original friends of Mr Clay, F was in the h"b- 
jt of free and unreserved conversations, both w ith him and 
h?<4 other friends, relative to that election, and ] am. bold to 
Say that I never beard a wMsper of any thing like a ron- 
d' ! -mn on which our vote was to be given, mentioned 
dither hy Air. Clav himself, or anyof his friends, at any lime, 
or tinker any cfrcumsta»>scef> That the friends of Mr. Clay, 
pd ; *e the election vrns pending before the II - use, were treated 
VCfh great kindness ami fotirteev, by the fr iends of the of* ep 
candidates. is ret ai lv true, and that we were strongly im* 
portnned to support their respective favorites is equally true^ 
b?P ? can nv with truth, and I sav it with great pleas« 
Ore* that I never board a proposition from the friend or friends 
ofe’ther f the candidates, or From any other person, directs 
ed either to the ambition or averice of those having a voice in 
the election calculated or intended to swo re them from a 
i&nnscientiotis discharge of their duty. Nor do F believe it 
was the opinion of any well informed man. in the House of 
Representatives, until it was seized hold of by the Cembina* 
lion, as the best and only means to ruin Mr. Clay, 

I am. w ith great respect, your obedient servant, 

JOSEPH VAjNCE* 

Boy. T. W ATKINS. 

Lancaster , Map, 21 , 1827 * 

TIf\p Sir ; Absence from borne, is the reason why I have 
Dot before this, answered votir letter, upon the sub ject of the 
Fetter said to have been written by a “highly respectable Vir* 
gr* *an.’* 

F ilofcppt hmw that a friend, or the Friends of Mr# 
day, ever made any proposition to the friends of General 
Jackson, respecting the cHctinn of Mr. Adams, as Preside nt 
ir> any w av ; or a® respecting General Jackson “not putting 

r AHams into the Seat of the Secretary of State,in case 
he f Jackson, should he elected President. 

>VRher am I acquainted with a friend of Mr Clay’s that 
> oul(! consent to beaii i» fetich a degrading traasao 


is 

eaa T admit that tlie friends of Mr. Clay had so fc&a# 
tfcmptible an opinion of each other, or of Mr. day, as to sup* 
pose that the appointment or non-appointment of any man 
to any office would influence them in the discharge of an isa* 
portant public duty. 

Mr. day and his friends, preferred Mr. Adams to Gencr* 
at Jackson, merely because they believed he, in a more 
eminent degree, possessed the qualifications necessary to the 
able performance of the high duties assigned by the Coastita* 
tion and Laws to the President of the United States. 

I am dear Sir, with great respect, your obedient servant, 

P. BEECHER; 

Doctor Tobias Watkins* Washington. 

- Wooster , May §th 1827. 

Dear Sir: T- ut* favor of the 1st instant has been received* 
1 had previously noticed fhe letter said to have been written 
by & “highly respectable Virginian* 9 * io which it refers. Ife 
SlnsWef* to your inquiries, 1 have to state, that I have always 
Supposed myself m the entire confidence ©f ali Mr. Clayed 
supporters and friends, who were members of congress at 
the time of the presidential election, and that I have no hesi* 
♦atiori in saying, that I never heard the most distant insinua¬ 
tion from any of them, that they would vote for Genera! 
Jackson, if there was any prospect of choosing either of the 
cither candidates. That any of the friends of Mr. Clay, in 
Congress ever made any proposition of conditions on which 
their votes would depend, t© the friends of General Jackson* 
or any other person, I do not believe, Had General .L bees 
©hoosen, they would bare felt no concern as to who be might 
have appointed members of his cabinet; and, as to Mr. Clay’s 
accepting an appointment under him, they would, to a man* 
have most certainly opposed it, 1 judge of this from the o- 
pinion which I know they entertained of General Jackson’s 
want of capacity, and the fact that it wa3 not until some time 
after the choice of Mr. Adattis, that they agreed to advise 
Mr^ Clay to afcept of the office he now holds. His accept¬ 
ance has always been regarded by them a favor clone to the 
country, and not as one conferred upon him. 

If the disposition of Gen. Jackson could haye been judged 
of by the importunity of some of his Congressional friends* 
J should have supposed that a proposition of the kind me ra¬ 
tioned, would, have been instantly closed with; but no such 
propositions were ever made by the friends of Mr* Clay and 
ponesuch would have been accepted by them. 

short, 1 feel confident that the whole is a vile and infa¬ 
mous falsehood, such as honorable men would not resort to* 
$iore especially after having upon full consultation and de- 
liberate consideration, dee-tined an investigation of the whole 


i4 

gratters before * trwmittee of the house eP representativwfil 

1 am, sir# very respectfully* your obedient servant. 

J. SLOAINE* 

©bn. Tobias Watkins* 

Stuhenville , Gth May, T827. 

Bear Sir: Yours of the 1st current, stating that Genera! 
Jackson is reported to have said, at this table, “in the pre¬ 
sence of all his company ” “that Mr. Clay’s friends made 2 
proposition to his friends, that if they would promise for hirtt 
wot to put Mr. Adairs into the seat of Secretary of State* 
Clay and his friends would, in one hour , n akr him, Jackson* 
the President,” &c. Ac. and asking me to inform you wheth¬ 
er I know, or believe that such a proposition was ever mad*# 
or w hether conditions of any sort, were proposed by the 
friends of Mr. Clay to any person, on a compliance with 
which their vote was made to dedend ? 

In reply, I can only say, sincerely and unequivocally, that 
I do not know or believe that any proposition of the kind 
mentioned, as from Gen. Jackson, was ever made to the 
friends of Genera) Jackson, by the friends of Mr. Clay, ofc 
any of them; and that I am wholly ignorant of any condi* 
tions, of any sort being proposed to any one, by the friends 
of Mr. Clay, on a compliance with which their votes were 
made to depend. 

Allow me to observe, in addition, that the vote of the Ohio 
delegation was determined upon by consultation among ite 
members so far as I know or believe, without any stipulation 
or agreement with the delegation of any other state, or individ¬ 
ual as to what that vote should he. To my know ledge, no influ¬ 
ence whatever, other than the convictions of each member, af¬ 
ter a candid A serious examination into the fitness A qualifi¬ 
cations of the three candidates before the house, for the office 
of chief magistrate, and an ardent desire properly to dis¬ 
charge the important duty devolved upon them by the consti¬ 
tution, according to its spirit, operated to control the vote of 
any one of Mr. Clay’s friends, or himself. 

In great haste, sincerely yours* J. C. tV RIGHT. 

T. Watkins, Esq. 

iralliopolis ( Ohio) May 27* 1827* 

Dear Sir: On returning home to day, from a short journey* 
t had the pleasure of ret riving your letter of the 1st 
fust, addressed to me concerning the publication of a letter 
that first appeared in the “Fayetteville Observer,” said to 
have been w ' ten by r “highly »es| * ctal ,s e Virginian,” con¬ 
taining a s^temerit, jr> siibstei te to this «ff c t— that Gener¬ 
al Jacksoi hi answer le a qutsi *& put to him by the writer* 


in presence of his, Gen. Jackson’s Company, said, that Mr# 
Clay’s friends made a proposition to hi* friends, toat if they 
would promise for hi m, Jackson, not to make Mr. Adams 
his Secretary of State, tiiat Clay and ins friends would nuke 
kirn President at the then approaching election by congress# 
You request me to favor you with a statement concerning my 
knowledge of this matter. Having been ope of the frien 1» of 
Mr Clay, who voted for Hr. Adams, I cheerfully avail my« 
3elf of this opportunity to say that £ have no knowledge 
whatever of the above mentioned proposition, or any other 
proposition, having been made to general Jackson, or any 
of his friends, as a condition upon which his or their vote was 
to be given to General Jackson for the presidency. 

it may not perhaps be, a niss to add in relation tq mysgjf, 
that though i hold the public services of General Jackson in 
the highest estimation, it was well kn > v i to my constituents* 
for many months previous to the late presidential election, 
tiiat after >lr. Clay, Mr. Adams was my next choice, among 
the distinguished individuals who wer men before the people 
Of me U. States, as candidates for th t exalted station. 

I am, very respectfully, yours, &e. 

SA ML. F. ViNrO.% 

T* Wvrxixs, Es<fc. 

Piqua , Ohio , 18 th May, 182r. 

Bear STir: Yours of the 1st instant came to hand by tho 
last mail, and in compliance with your request £ wiil answer 
the iuterogitories you propound. £ had, prior to the recep- 
tion of your letter, read the publication to which you allude, 
said to have been written by a ‘^highly respectable Virgin¬ 
ian,” and dated at Vasbville, the Sth of March last, which 
first appeared, £ believe, in the Fayetteville Observer, and 
subsequently in several other papers, in which the writer, 
after having mentioned his visit to General Jackson, thus 
proceeds: “He,” (General Jackson.) toll me this morning, 
before all his company, in reply to a question £ put to him, 
concerning the election of J. Adams to the presidency, that 
Mr Clay’s friend made a proposition to his friends, that 
if they would promise, for him , not to put >lr Adams into the 
seat of Secretary of State, Clay ail his friends would, in one 
hoar nake hi n, Jackson, the President. He nost indignant¬ 
ly rejected t ie proposition, and declared he would not com? 
pro nit nimself, and unless most openly anl fairly ma le the 
President lie would not receive it. le declared that he 
8aid to them lie would see the whole eirth sink under hi n, 
before he would bargain or intrigue for it,” 

foil ask me to inform you wuetiier £ k.io v, or believe, tiiat 
suck a proposition was ever made, or whether Qoif* 



igUjoHS of nay sort w#re made by the friends of Mr. @lay, ffc 
any person, on a compliance of which their vote was made t* 
Jcpmd? 1 answer that no such proposition w as ever made* 
within my knowledge, nor have I any cause to believe that 
conditions of any sort were made at any time, by the friend® 
of Mr* May to any person, on a compliance with w hich their 
vote was made to depend, i will further say, I cannot be-’ 
lieve that General Jackson made the declarations attributed 
to him, in the letter purporting to have been written by $ 
^highly respectable Virginian.” 

1 am, very respectfully, your obedient servant. 

W M. M’LEAN* 

T. Watkins, Es^. Washington City, 

Canfield , Trumbull County, Ohio May 12, f&ST'* 

2)kar Sir : Your favor of the 1st was received this mor¬ 
bing. in answer to your enquiries, l reply that i do not 
know or believe that any proposition was ever made by any 
<if Mr. C’s. friends to those of Gen. J\s. on the morning of tha 
Presidential election,or at any other time, having any bearing 
»n the candidate to be selected from the three returned to the 
House, nor do 1 know or believe that any conditions of any 
sort were proposed by the friends of Mr. Clay to any per¬ 
son on a compliance with which their vote was made to de~ 
pend;” but i do believe that the assertion made by General 
Jackson, as reported by “a highly respectable Virginian, 
and all of Use charges of a like character, imputing either to 
Mr. Adams or to Mr. Clay or to their friends, any improper* 
inconsistent, corrupt, or fraudulent conduct, on that inter* 
©sting and momentuous occasion, are base slanders, known 
to be such by those who put them in circulation, yet very 
honestly accredited by many worthy citizens. My inter- 
bourse with the friends of Mr. Clay was suc h that, had any 
proposition been made by them, t should have been very like¬ 
ly to have known of it. No man was ever elevated to an of- 
£lce by views more, pure and patriotic than was Mr. Adams. 
The assertion imputed to General Jackson is ridiculous ea 
the face of it. Admitting that Mr Clay and his friends were 
oscillating, previous to the charges .made against Mr. Ciay, 
©f which Mr. Kremer afterw ards assumed to be the author, 
those charges must have separated them from General Jack- 
son and his friends ; but, as between Mr Adams and Gen- 
pal Jackson, neither Mr. Clay nor his friends doubted for a 
Moment whom to support, and if it hail been know n on the 
day that Congress met that Mr. C.Uy would not be returned, 
and the vote-had then been taken (considering Mr. Craw 
ftji d's illness,) the result would haye been the same as whesa 
the dceOu*n vy;*s tf Mc« City’s fricniU were kajtuig 


between two opinions, on the morning of the election, hoV9 
happens it the charges of fraud corruption, bargain, and salfy 
werje made ten days or a fortnight before that time? If Gen¬ 
eral Jackson has any evidence in his possession to sustain hit* 
declaration, why does he withhold it from the public? 

Very Respectfully yours, 

E. WIIITTLEST, 

T. Walking , Eaj* 

^Mansfield Ohio, May 24 1827. 

Dear Sir: Tour favor of the second instant, was just receiv¬ 
ed giving the statement of the contents of a letter said to 
have been written by a highly respectable Virginian, relative 
to a statement said to have been made by General Jackson# 
on the subject of the late Presidential Election. 

Before I proceed, in justice to the General. I will say that 
I do not believe that he ever made the declaration alluded to 
by the writer of said letter, for the General was there when 
the election took place, and must inevitably have known that 
such a statement would carry falsehood on the very face of 
it. It was well known that some of the friends of Clay from 
.Ohio, would not, in any event, give their support to Geiu 
Jackson, because Mr. A. was their second choice, k believed 
to he the second choice, of a majority of the people of this 
state; k further, Gen. J. must know that two weeks previous 
to the election, Mr. Clay and his friends were assailed in a 
vulgar and ungentlemanly manner, for declaring their to* 
tention to vote for the present Executive; yet thia proposi¬ 
tion is said to have been made to the friends of General 
Jackson, that on certain conditions ‘’the General should 
be President in one hour,- which if true, must have been 
made only one hour before the canvass took place in the 
House. This statement of itself needs no refutation except 
for the respectable source from which it is said to haveema« 
nated. I was in the House, l believe, every day of that ses, 
sion at which the President was elected; and have no hesita¬ 
tion in saying that so far from making any proposition, or 
overture, were the friendsof Mr. Ci ty, in favor of the Gener¬ 
al. that had the friends ol the General made such a propo¬ 
sition, we would have considered it as an indignity offered 
to >ur integrity and understanding. I could not have voted 
for the General in any event, for many reasons-wtvvo of 
which I mention; First, l believed him far inferior to all the 
pther Candidates in point of talents; Second, I had doubt¬ 
ed his being a real friend to the tariff to protect the man¬ 
ufactures of our ?\vn country. I will also mention that, I 
had entertained doubts ej pbeing friendly to internal ic&*. 

4* 




wrovement under the direction of the Genera! Got ern merit. 
These opinions have been, within the present year, verified 
by declarations, and the course pursued by the General s 
leading friends, and his silence on the subject, after being 
solicited to come out. 

I am, dear Sir, with respect, your obedient servant. 

M. BAftTLEi^ 

T. Watkins, Es<£. -- 

St. Comsvitie, May 9 th , 1827*. 

Sir: Yours of the 1st instant was received the 7th, and ift 
Answer to your inquiry I frankly state to you that if any such 
proposition as you state, was made by the triends of Clay to 
those of Gen. Jackson, I had no knowledge of it ; and I was 
one of the friends of Clay ; i therefore believe the report t? 
fce without an honest foundation. 

Respectfully yours, &c. 

JOHN PATTERSON-* 

Watkins, Esq. 


Mountsterling , (Ren.) August 12, 1827, 
B*iHv I have been constantly from home tor some weeks 
past, &. have not had leisure until this morning to answer your 
letter, requesting me to state what 1 know and believe about 
the charges made against Mr. Clay and Mr. Adams, by Gen* 
Jackson and his friends. 

The letter you refer to, dated Nashville, and said to be 
first published in the “Fayetteville Observer,” was read by 
Die some time since, in some of my newspapers, and thrown 
aside, i have searched for it, but cannot find it. The let f 

tei»_General Jackson to Carter Beverly, dated Hermitage, 

June 6th, 1837, is before me, and i shall refer to it in iny re* 
ply to you, under a belief that it contains the substance oi 
the accusations made by Beverly in his Nashville letter. 

1 do not know of my own knowledge, nor have l been iis» 
formed by others, that offers, propositions or overtures such 
tis are spoken of by Gen* Jackson in his letter to Beverly, or 
similar thereto, or of any kind whatever* were made by Mr. 
Adams or his friends to Mr. Clay or his friends ; or by Mr* 
€iay or his friends, to General Jackson or his friends. 1 
do not know, nor t\o 1 believe that Mr* Adams or his friends 
made overtures or offers, directly or indirectly to Mr. Clay 
or liis friends to make him Secretary of State, il he and his 
friends would unite in aid of the election ot Mr. Adams ; nop 
do I know, or believe, that any pledge or promise of any kind, 
was made by Mr. Adams or his friends, to Mr. Clay or his 
friends to procure his aid in the election. 

I never heard from Mr. Clay, or any of his friends, or any 
f*m> else, that he was willing to vote for General Jficfc* 


39 


s<3Ti» if the Genera! would say, or any of his friends for* 
him, that Mr. Adams should not be continued Secretary of 
State ; nor do I know or believe that Mr. Clay ever express¬ 
ed a willingness, or any of his friends for him to support 
or vote for General Jackson, if he could obtain the office of 
Secretary of State under him. 

I do not know, nor do I believe, that any overtures, or of¬ 
fers of any kind, were made by Mr. Clay or his friends, to 
Mr. Adams or his friends, to vote for him or support him, if 
he would make Mr. Clay Secretary of State ; or to Genera! 
Jackson or his friends, to vote for him , or support him, if he 
Could obtain the office of Secretary of State under him ; nop 
do l believe that Mr. Clay would have taken an office unde* 
him if he had been elected. 

I cannot believe the statement made to General Jackson^ 
tior do I believe that Mr. Clay made or authorised any of 
his friends to make, overtures to him, directly or indirectly/ 
because I know that Mr. Clay intended to vote against him* 
1 know Mr Clay had determined to vote for Mr. Ad¬ 
ams as early as October 1824, if the election should devolve 
upon the House of Representatives in Congress, with his own 
tiame excluded from the list. In this I cannot be mistaken, 
because he told me so expressly. He may have 
forgotten what he said to me, but the substance of the con¬ 
versation is fresh in memory with myself, and I will endea¬ 
vor to detail such portions of it, as will evince his prepos¬ 
sessions in favor of Mr. Adams, as well as his fixed intention 
lo vote for him. 

Mr. Adams, we all know, was elected on the 9th Februa¬ 
ry, 1825. The prevailing opinion, you will recollect, as ear¬ 
ly as January 1824, if not earlier was, that none of the can¬ 
didates would obtain a majority of the whole number of elec* 
toral votes, (261,) and it w as expected as a matter of course# 
that the eventual election would devolve upon the House of 
Eepresenlatives. The friends of Mr. Clay believed that he 
would go before the House as one of the three highest on the 
list of candidates; but this was not certain, & on the contrary 
it was reasonable t suppose that he might fail. In looking 
forward to a failur on his part, and to the passible events 
and consequences which might follow, I was frequently 
brought to consider which of the other three candidates ought 
to be preferred as a Chief Magistrate of the nation. It is e- 
fiough to say, without dwelling upon matters concerning my¬ 
self, that I concluded as early as February 1824, to vote for 
Mr. Adams as a second choice in the event of Mr. Clay's 
Exclusion from the House ; subject at all times to a change 
of opinion for such reasons as ought to influence the judg¬ 
ment of a public agent, desirous of discharging his publfo: 


40 

trusts faithfully and honestly ; and intending at the propel 
Season to consult fully and freely with the rest of my col* 
leagues ; holding myself at liberty ai! along to consider the 
Claims of Mr. Crawford, if his health should be restored* 
which, however, I thought improbable, if not impossible- ft 
so happened, that the honorable Robert Tri mble, then a judge 
of the Federal Court for the District of Kentucky, and run? 
one of the Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, 
came to the City of Washington, in the month of February 
1824, and I well remember that I conversed with him freely 
upon the subject of the election. 1 informed him ol my pre¬ 
ference for Mr. Adams as a second choice, and explained 
to him the principles and views of policy which would gov¬ 
ern me in making the selection. I gave him my opinion of 
Mr* Adams as a statesman, and probably went so far as to 
mention some of my objections to General Jackson. The 
recollections of Judge T rimble on the subject have been ask¬ 
ed for, and if received in time shall be enclosed. 

My preference to Mr. Adams was strengthened by the oc- 
fcurmices of the session ending in May 1824. It was mani¬ 
fest to me from what I saw and heard, that the bitterness 
of opposition to measures in favor of agriculture, internal 
improvements, and domestic manufactures had increased, 
EUid was increasing in the South, and I w as satisfied that the 
American System of policy,including our Western interests 
in it, could not be sustained in Congress, without the co-ope- 
ration of members in favor of the System from the Eastern 
States, as well as from the Middle & the Western States 1 
concluded, and rightly too I think, as time w ill show, that the 
bes t, if not the only way to ensure the success of the Amer¬ 
ican System, and sustain our Western interests in it, would 
V»c to elect Mr. Adams, if Mr. Clay should be defeated. 

In this state of mind I met with Mr. Clay at Frankfort, in 
Kentucky, ahoot the first of October, 1824. It was my im¬ 
pression at the time, from the news of the day, and oilier 
Bohitcs of information, that Mr. Crawford would get some 
sixty or seventy electoral votes, and that Mr. Clay would be 
left out of the House. Wecnovrrsi'd for some time about the 
election ; and in the course of conversation after speaking 
fr eely to him about his own chances and prospects. I asked 
him which of the other candidates he would vote for iu the* 
event of a failure on his part : He said, that the event sup¬ 
posed would place him in a delicate attitude before the House 
and nation ; that a choice among his competitors under a* 
11 y aspect of it, would be painful and embarrassing; Thatfrom 
re ent information, the restoration <>f Mr. Crawford’s health 
was entirely hopeless, and that he could not consistently 
with his principles vote for General Jackson under any pos¬ 
sible circumstances. I gave it as my opinion, that General 


41 

Jackson was foot qualified to fill the station, and discharge 
its multifarious ami complicated duties, foreign and domes¬ 
tic : To this he agreed, and added* that'the impartial world 
would probably consider Mr. Adams better qualified than 
cither Jackson, Crawford, or himself: That at all events, 
(Crawford aside) the difference in point of qualification was 
so clear and obvious in favor of Mr. Adams, that his motives 
might be questioned by impartial men, if he should vote for 
Jackson ; and that he would be unable to defend the vote, be¬ 
cause in his own judgment it would afford just ground of cen¬ 
sure. 

He made several objections to General Jackson, and in 
the course of his remarks, expressed himself decidedly hos¬ 
tile to the selection of military men to administer the civil 
government of free nations. No nation, he said, had ever 
done it with impunity .• The warnings of history were a~ 
gainst it: He considered it a bad example, and a dangerous 
experiment, and declared that he would not give it the sanc¬ 
tion of a precedent in our government by any act of his. Ho 
turned the conversation to the Seminole war, and to the oc» 
currences connected with it—referred particularly to the con¬ 
stitutional principles which were brought forward and sup-^ 
ported by himself and Mr. Lowndes and others in the course 
of the debate upon that subject, and declared that he could 
not consent to place General Jackson at the head of the na¬ 
tion, after seeing him trample upon the Constitution, and 
violate the rights of humanity as he had done at the head of 
the army in the progress of that war. 

I made some reference to the supposed difference of opin¬ 
ion between himself and Mr Adams about the Treaty of 
Ghent. He said in reply, that it had been greatly magnified 
by the friends of his competitors for electioneering purposes 
—that it ought to have no influence in the vote which he might 
be called upon to give—that if he was weak enough to allow 
bis personal feelings to influence his public conduct, there 
Would be no change in his mind on that account, because he 
was then upon much worse terms w ith Gen. Jackson about 
the Seminole war, than he could ever be with Mr. Adams a- 
bout the Treaty of Ghent—but that in the selection of a Chief 
Magistrate for the Union he would endeavor to disregard all 
private feelings and look entirely to the interests of tiie coun¬ 
try, and the safety of its institutions. 

He spoke at large upon the subjects of agriculture, inter¬ 
nal improvements and domestic manufactures; said that he 
was pledged to the nation in support of the American System 
of policy, and in all measures favorable to it; that his own 
election had been advocated by his friends in part upon 
that grouod* and that be would consider it a duty to bimseif 



4t. : 

and Ins friends, to strengthen the great cause >a wTiicTi 
vyere all engaged, as much as possible. In this respect he wa& 
satisfied, he said, that Mr. Adams was tl*e best choice, anti 
that if there was no other ground of preference, he would 
feel himself bound on that account to vote for him. 

I do not remember whether I informed Mr. Clay of my 
4wn preference for Mr. Adams at that time or not, but aofr 
Inclined to think I did not, and I am satisfied that 1 bad nat 
done so on any previous occasion. It is known to me that 
Mr. Clay had a similar conversation about the same period? 
with a citizen of Kentucky—who stands as high as any man 
in it; to whom he made known his intention to vote, for Mr* 
Adams, and gave various reasons why lie would do so, de¬ 
claring, at the same time, that he would not vote for Gcitv 
Jackson in any possible event. The reasons given by him to 
the gentleman alluded to, so far as they have been detailed 
to me, are similar to those which he assigned to mein favor 
of his preference for Mr. Adams. I am not authorized to 
came the person alluded to, but have no doubt that he would 
willingly furnish a statement of the conversation which Mr, i 
Clay held with him, if it should be considered necessary or 
material. 

I should have thought strange of it, if Mr. Clay had voted 
for Gen. Jackson, after saying what he did of militiary men 
and military violence and rashness in the debate upon the 
Seminole war; and still more strange after declaring—as t 
he has often done in my hearing—in the most solemn man¬ 
ner, that the Constitution had been trampled down and vio¬ 
lated by the lawless arm of military power in that war—and 
stranger still, after advancing the opinion & principles, and 1 
giving the votes which he did on that occasion; but, I should ! 
have been astonished beyond measure, if be had supported j 
General Jackson for the Presidency after what he said to m.C 
at Frankfort on the subject. A vote, so much at war with 
bis principles and inclinations, and so entirely contrary to 
bis better judgment, and his known and avowed intentions* 
would have left me in amazement, and I am bold to say, that 
1 should have turned my back upon him and voted for Mr. 
Adams, even if I had been in a miuorty of the delegation 
from the State. I say that I would have turned my back 
upon him, and I would certainly have done so, "because 
knowing what l did I should have been compelled to doubt 
the integrity of his character and the soundness of his politic 
cal principles. If he had voted far Jackson and taken office 
under him, my amazement would have had no limits. A 
change of principles and preference so sudden and singular* 
iand bo inconsistent with his previous character and conduct, 
could not have been explained upon the ordinary approvable 
motifs of human action; find 1 sbcrijld have ])?m driven % 




■ ** 

the existence of extraordinary seducetoietifs, ami eeih 
snrable compliances. Voting as he has done, 1 still consid¬ 
er him—as f always did—an able* independent* fearless 
sta tesman—-uncorrupted, and incorruptible. 

I am satisfied in my own mind, that the imputations oS 
Corruption made against Mr. Clay and Mr* Adams by their* 
Enemies, aie -mirriy gr- Ondless. Speaking for myself, I ana 
hound to say injustice to both of them, that I have no knowl¬ 
edge of any fact or circumstance connected with them, or*' 
either of them, directly or indirectly, which throws a shade 
of doubt upon the fairness of their conduct in the election. 

Some days after the election, Mr. Adams made an offer o t 
the Department of State to Mr. Clay, and requested a con* 
ferrence with him. The course pursued by Mr. Clay from? 
that time until he concluded to accept the office, forbids the 
beliet that he had any previous assurances from Mr. A da mo, 
or that there was any previous understanding between therrt 
on the subject. With assurances of regard, I am, Sir yours 
vny respectfully, DAVID TRIMJBLEJv 

Tobias Watkins, Esq, —— 

Paris , Ry. August 13, 1827. 

Pear Sir:'In consequence of my absence from home, I did 
9iot receive your letter of the 8th July, until after my re¬ 
turn from the court at Colombus, Ohio, on Monday evening 
the 9th inst. 

You request me to state the substance of & conversation 
which took piece between us at the city of Washington, in 
February or March, 1824, after having visited Mr. Craw« 
ford together, in relation to the next presidential election. 

The occasion has passed over, in which a statement of that 
Conversation would have been of any direct service to you* 
yet, as it may be some satisfaction to you to know my reo 
recollection is of the conversation alluded to, I will state it. 

While in the city, in February and March, 1824, 1 visited 
Mr. Crawford several tim s, 1 recollect, perfectly, that 
on one occasion, you and T went together to pay him a visit 
of respect, as vve both entertained for him a very high re* 
gard. In going to and returning from, Mr. Crawford’s, w<5 
conversed freely about his health, and on the subject of the 
approaching presidential election; and I have a distinct re^ 
collection of what passed, after leaving him, on our way to 
Pur lodgings, at Brown’s. You asked rue what I thought of 
Mr. Craw ford’s health, and of the probability ©» its restora¬ 
tion, so ns to enable him to discharge the duties of President 
I answered, that my opinion was decisively against the pro¬ 
bability of his recovery, so as to be able to undergo the la* 
bors, and discharge the duties of the office; and that I thought 
Ibis restoration so as to justify his election, might He consid» 
Sled hopeless. J added my soimetipn that he $ostid not vfy 



44 

€ot6r # and that his life would be endangered, until ho quit 
Lis present office, and left the city, with all its cares and 
troubles behind him. You expressed your entire concurrence; 
fend remarked, that you had wished to know whether my de- 
liberate views of his condition corresponded with those you 
had previously formed* The conversation turned upon the 
probability of the election of president coming, ultimately, 
before the houseof representatives. We concurred in opin¬ 
ion, that, from the number of candidates, it was improbable 
any one would have a majority of the electoral votes? and 
that if Mr. Crawford’s friends continued to entertain hopes 
of his recovery, and to press his claims to the presidency, 
it was doubtful whether he or Mr. Clay would be left out of 
the house. You expressed the opinion that (Clay aside,) 
Mr. Adams v as the safest and best choice, and that the 
friends of agriculture* internal improvement, a* d q cstic 
manufactures, ought to unite upon him in the event of Mr. 
Clay’s exclusion from the house. You remarked, that you 
had once entertained some prejudic s against Mr* Adams as a 
Statesman, but that the more you had seen of him as a states¬ 
man, the more you had been convinced, these prepossessions 
Were not well founded* You alluded to the tariff bill of 
1824, then under discussion in Congress; expressed your de¬ 
termination to support it as a system of protection to domes* 
tic manufactures; and said, if you should have to vote, as a 
inember of the house of Representatives, in the election of 
president, you would vote for the man who, and whose friends 
you should think most favorable to what you called the A- 
merican system.—You said that Mr. Clay had been the great 
champion of that system; that if we lost him, you thought Mr. 
Adams and his friends, next most favorable to it; that you 
could not and would not vote for any man who, and w hose 
friends, you believed to be united in opposition to it; that 
Some of Mr. Adams’ friends were opposed to it, but many of 
them in favor of it; and that you believed his opinions were 
favorable to the system. I remarked, that it was, perhaps, 
too early to make up a decisive opinion, in the event of the 
election coming into the house of representatives;—that the 
views of men, and of parties, in reference to these great na¬ 
tional interests of agriculture, internal improvements, and do¬ 
mestic manufactures, would probably be further developed 
before the election. You answered true; but that you had 
thought much upon the system for their encouragement and 
protection; that you had made up your opinion upon it, and 
you added, emphatically, “My creed is fixed as to the princi* 
pies which must influence my decision.’’ 

In other conversations with me at the city, I understood 
you as indicating similar views; but in the particular conver¬ 
sation above detailed, you were more explicit than la a nj 


45 

other, and the very emphatic manner in whir!) you oondudei 
your remarks, made a strong and lasting impression on my 
memory, and satisfied me, that, in the event contemplated, 
you would v**e for Mr. Adams, unless something should 
transpire before the election, to change your opinion of him, 
in reference to your favorite system. With sentiments of 
sincere regard, your obedient servant. 

ROBERT TRIMBLE*, 

Mb. David Trimble. 

B ending Green , QSdMay, 1827. 

Dear Sir : Yours of the 2d instant is received, in which 
you call my attention to the extract of a letter, said to be 
vv ritlcn by a‘'highly respectable Virginian,” dated Nash¬ 
ville, 8th of March last, and which you recite as follows: 
'‘He [General Jackson,] told me this morning, before all his 
Company , in reply to a question I put. to him, concerning the 
election of John Q. Adams to the Presidency, that Mr. < lay’s 
friends made a proposition to his friends, that it they would 
promise, for him, not to put Mr. Adams into the seat of Sec¬ 
retary of State. Clay and his friends w ould, in one hour, maka 
hifii. Jack son * the President. lie most indignantly rejected 
the proposition, and declared that he would not compromit 
himself, and unless most openly and fairly made the President* 
be tvotifd not receive it Me declared that he said to them* 
lie would see the earth sink under him, before he would bar¬ 
gain or intrigue for it.” 

1 r vi' iis to the receipt of yours, I had observed this ex;* 
tract in the papers. I viewed it as a sheer fabrication* an¬ 
other instance of the oiit pourings of that disappointed am¬ 
bition, prejudice, and envious malignity, which have been sri 
bountifully bestowed on Mr. Clay and some of his friends* 
for the last two years and a half ; and swell it seemed to inc 
it ought to have been esteemed, so long as it t ested alone on 
t! authority of an anerfy toons w riter F«several reasons I 
do not think we ought to giv; ere:* ■<r to General Jackson’s 
having made siu b a statement, w s: nit good proof of the t ict 
Viewing ti e pubHrotmn in the h.ght I have mentioned, I hatl 
not bupposed any notice* f it cohH! be called for or expected: 

I have no hesitation, however, in answering yUur inqui¬ 
ries. Alter reciting the above extract, you say to me, “if 
bucb a proposition were ever made by the friends of Mr. C iaV 
to those of General Jackson, it must have been known to ma¬ 
ny persons, and the fact, therefore, may be ascertained. May 
) iif k the fa or of you to inform me whether you know or be- 
Ik i any such \ o sit or. was ev er matke? Or whether con- 
cHioj.t; > x sort, wore merle by the friends of Mr. Clay to 
giViy pc? on a cci/ipliuricc \xitli which their votu was m&tp 
to depend)” 


4 ® 

To tfm first Iirandi of tlie inquiry, my answer is, that t 
$ave no knowledge of any siich a proposition, nor do I be* 
Here any such was ever made. 

To the second 1 answer, that I neither know of, cor da I 
believe, that any “conditions, of any sort, were made by the 
friends of Mr. Clay to any person, on compliance with which 
their vote was to depend.” 

Very respectfully, year humble servant, 

FR, JOHNSON* 

SJan. Tobias Watkins* 

Mason County, SCy. 1 2th June, 1827* 

Tta^AR Sm: Your letter of the 2nd of May last addressed 
tome at Carlisle, in this State, having been duly received by 
Jny family, and handed to me on my return home a few days 
ago from the State of Mississippi, I hasten to give you the 
information required. As to the letter which is said to have 
%een written by “a highly respectable Virginian,” dated at 
JKashville, on the 8th day of last March, which first appear¬ 
ed in the Fayetteville Observer, stating that he, the writer# 
liad been told that morning by the General before all his con 4- 
pany , that a* proposition had been made by the friends of 
Mr. Clay to the friends of Jackson, that if they would prom¬ 
ise for him not to put Mr. Adams in the Seat of Secretary of 
State, Clay ami his friends would in one hour make him# 
Jackson President, I have to state, that I never heard 

or thought of such a proposition, until the letter of the “high¬ 
ly respectable Virginian” appeared in the Public Prints. 
Some time before the Presidential vote was given in the 
II. of Representatives, I well remember to have heard it sta¬ 
led by some one, that in the event of the election of General 
Jackson. Mr. Adams would mtst probably be withdrawn from 
the National Cabinet, and made Governor of Massachusetts j 
that it was not likely that he would accept an appointment 
tinder the General if offered to him. Neither before, tioi* 
since that election, have I interchanged a Word with Mr, 
Adams respecting it. But my opinion at that time w as that 
if not elected, he would retire from the Cabinet, as a matter 
of choice, and not of necessity . As one of the friends of Mr, 
Clay, I enter the most solemn protest against the right of 
the General, through his organ, the “highly respective Vir¬ 
ginian,” or otherwise, to say that I would have assisted in 
making him President on the conditions Stated. On the 
contrary, if I could have been made to believe that General 
Jackson would not have offered to Mr. Adams, the place 
which he had filled with so much ability under Mr. Monroe, 
(hai belief would have constituted in my mind a strong ad- 
i$Uiofial objection to Ux© GecciaPa success* 1 should theft 


47 


iiave taken it for granted, that it was the intesflsn of 
General to surround himself with that class or party of pol¬ 
iticians with whom lie had in a great degree become identic 
i tied and between whom and myself there existed such a radi¬ 
cal difference of opinion in relation to the great leading ques¬ 
tion of national policy, I alluded to the army , the anti tariff 
and anti-internal improvement parties. If it is intended to 
impose the belief that Mr. Clay 9 s friends wore desirous of 
obtaining that appointment for him , to the exclusion of Mr, 
Adams or otherwise, under General Jackson as one of his 
friends, I pronounce it a base and an infamous assault upon 
the motives and honor, so far as I am concerned or believe, of 
those who did not choose to support him for the Presidency# 
In reply to your second inquiry, i have to say that, if con¬ 
ditions of any sort were ever made by the friends of Mr, 
Clay to any person, on a compliance with which their vote 
was to depend, I knew nothing of it. Believing that Mr# 
Ciay would not have accepted an appointment under the Gen¬ 
eral, I am at a loss to conjecture where, or from whom the 
authority for making such propositions could have been de¬ 
rived'. But if any individual, calling himself the friend of 
Mr. Clay, did make proposals of such a character, why not 
name the man , & let him state to the public by what authori¬ 
ty he made them? 

With great respect, I am, dear Sir, vour obedient servant 

THOMAS METCALFE* 

T. Watkins , Esyr. Mh Aud. Trea . Department . 


Lancaster , JCy.\ 2 th June, 18 2T. 

Dear Sir: Yours of the 2d May did not reach me until p 
day or two ago. You inquire whether i know any thing in 
relation to the following statement, said to have been made 
by a “highly respectable Virginian%’ “He, General Jack- 
son, told me this morning, before all his company, in reply 
to a question I put to him, concerning the election of J. Q. 
Adams to the presidency that iMr Clay’s friends made's 
pro osition to his friends, that if they would promise for him, 9 
not to put Mr. Adams into the seat of Secretary of State, 
Clay aud his friends would, in one hour make him, Jacksoa 
4he President. 

1 knew of no such proposition or intimation, nor have I 
a knowledge qf any fact or circumstance which would induce 
me to believe Mr. Clay’s friends, or any of them, ever mad® 
such a proposition to the friends of General Jackson. Mitty' 
ffreat respect, your obedient servant# 

b §> P. UST QH&W 

T, &£r 



Greensburg , J£tj. May %£>th 1827, 

X^ar #{r: Having been absent from home for some time., 
yours of the 2d of this month, was not received until a day 
or two since. You mention a letter,, said to have been writ¬ 
ten by a “highly respectable Virginian,” dated at Nashville-, 
the 8th of March last, which first appeared in the Fayette¬ 
ville Observer, in which General Jackson is represented as 
having said, before all his company, in reply to a question 
put to him by the Virginian, concerning the election of J , 
Q. Adams to the Presidency, that Mr, Clay’s friends made 
a proposition to his friends, that if they would promise far 
Atm, not to put Mr. Adams int.q the seat of Secretary of 
State, Clay and his friends would, in one hour, make him, 
.Jackson, the President 

In answer to your inquiries on this subject, I will remark* 
that I have r» f > reason to believe that any such proposition 
was made. Indeed no proposition of any description rela¬ 
ting to the ejection of President was made, so fai as l know 
or believe, by Mr. Clay’s friends to those of Gen. Jackson, 
or of any other person. With great respect, your obedient 
servant. RICHARD A. BUCKNER. 

T. Watkins* Es$. 

fellow Banks , 19 th June , 1827. 

Dear Silt: I did not answer your letter of the Sf: May 
last, and the apology I offer I expected General Jackson 
would have contradicted the report of the conversation ho 
had with the “respectable Virginian,” or that he would have 
designated the friend of Mr. Clay who made the. proposition 
to make him President, if he would not make Mr. Adams 
Secretary. 

it I had not have been disappointed in ray expectations, an 
answer from me would h tve be- n unnecessary. 

General Jackson remains silent, and the only inference to 
fee drawn is that he did have the conversation alluded to with 
the Virginian. 

I now answer your inquiry, and say f know of no proposi¬ 
tion made by th- friends of Mr. C!*> the friends of Gen. 
Jackson to make him President if he w . ild not select Mr. 
Adams to the Seat of Secretary, h l : >t believe a pr- position 
o? any kind was made, and l < x » •; C ae fr-cn i of the Gen¬ 
eral shquld ever speak on the te : he will be a second 

& ewer. Yours* with respect, 

P. THOMPSON, 

Hon. T. Watkins. 

Batov Range, July 17, 1827, 

&mr Sir ; la answer to your ttuer ol tho lot of May, i® 



' 49 

wfliich you Inquire whether I know or believe that the friends* 
*d Mr. Clay during the pendency of the last. Presidential Se¬ 
lection, proposed to the friends of Gen. Jackson to make hint 
the President upon' condition that he would not continue \lr 6 
Adams Secretary of State, I reply, that I have no knowledge 
of any propositions having been made by the friends of Mr. 
Clay, or any of them, W the friends of General Jackson, op 
&> any other person, in relation to the election of President 5 
.or the proposition of conditions of any sort, on a compliance 
with which their vote was made to depend ; I believe the 
Charge wholy destitute of truth. 

1 . am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

H. II. GURLEY*. 

Du. T. Watkins, 

St Martinsville , Jittathapa3, Lou. 4th June 1827 * 

Sear Sir: I had seen the letter you alluded to in the pub¬ 
lic prints, before I received yours of the 1 st May. I cannot 
express the indignant feelings it excited. It is the fabrication 
of a desperate man, who, to obtain his objects, dares to hs-> 
Svrt what he knows to he false. You ask me to say, whether 
I know or believe that such a proposition was ever made, or 
whether conditions of any sort were proposed by the friends 
of Mr. Clay to any one, on the compliance of which their 
vote w as made to depend. No honorable man can believe 
for a moment, that such a proposition was ever made, or* 
such a condition stipulated. I was a friend of Mr. Clay’s 
throughout the contest; 1 w T as in the confidence of all his 
friends, and I declare to God that I never heard of such 
tiling until it was asserted by the disappointed adherents of 
Gen. Jackson, I am not only ignorant of any such ar- 
rangemenets, but do not believe they ever existed. I know 
full well that at the time the charge was made by Gen Jack- 
son, or his friends, that no person with whom I conversed 
believed Mr. Clay had acted improperly, except the adher¬ 
ents of Gen. Jackson, who I shall always believe, felt angry 
at Mr. Clay and his friends for having too much firmness 
in the first instance, to be acted upon by their violence; &in the 
second instance, too much integrity and love of country to 
yield to a faction beaded by a military chief, without tal¬ 
ents, and w hose life is a history of immorality, bloodshed, 
and violation of the laws of God and of his country. I well 
recollect that the high minded and honorable friends of Mr. 
Crawford, amongst whom I name the hon. Mr. Forsyth, of 
Georgia, the hon. Mr. Stevenson of Virginia, the hon. M»v- 
W illiams, Sanders, Edwards of North Carolina, and others 
whom 1 could name, and amongst th^m the hon. Sami Smirk 
Of Mary land* in frequent conversations \yitii me, repefciei 


/ 


such charges, as the effusions of disappointed men, and ap? 
proved of the choice made by the friends of Mr. Clay, in pre* 
fcrence to Gen. Jackson, l regret now to see these gentltv- 
inen, all except Mr. Williams, acting against their then opin- 
ions. I regret it the more, for I entertain for each of them 
the highest esteem, nor can I believe that they will persist in 
a course which w ill end in their support of Gen. Jackson, l 
am not astonished at their opposing the administration, as it 
is friendly to “internal improvements and domestic manu¬ 
factures,’* but I can never believe tl*at they will give a pre¬ 
ference to a man like Gen. Jackson, over our present chief 
magistrate, 

Ijlnnk the friends of Mr. Clay ought to contradict the base, 
unfounded charge; as one, I am determined that such an accu¬ 
sation shall not rest upon me. If Gen Jackson does not estab¬ 
lish his assertion, (which he cannot,) he ought to stand forth 

the world, as a proven base calumniator as unworthy of 
gmblic or private confidence, and avoided bj every man who 
has a respect for virtue and for honor.— Your obedient ser«? 
tpant. WM. B REJNT. 

P. S. You may use this letter as you thi k proper. I shall 
be at Washington about 15 th July, when I will see you. 

St. Genevieve , Missouri, August 2 d, 182 f. 

Bear Sir: I saw some time since in the Public Prints* a 
fetter said to have been written from Nashville, by a highly 
respectable Virginian, detailing a conversation held by him 
with Gen. Jackson in relation to the laet Presidential Elec¬ 
tion I have since seen and perused a letter of General 
Jackson himself to Mr, Carter Beverly, of the 6th of June, 
on the same subject. 'I was one of the open and avowed 
friends of Mr. Clay,-in the last Presidential contest, and held 
one of the twenty-four votes on that important occasion. So 
far, therefore, as I am implicated in the communication of 
the Virginian, and the letter of General Jackson, l deem it 
ir.y duty to make the following statement, and place it in the 
hands of same gentleman at the seat cf Government to bo u- 
eed at discretion. 

1. Neither Mr. Adams, nor his friends ever made any 
promises or overtures to rne, nor did they hold out to me any 
inducements of ary sort, kind, or character whatever, to pro¬ 
cure me to vote for Mr. Adams. Nor did Mr. Adams, or a- 
uy of his friends, ever say or insinuate who would be plat ed 
at the head of the Department of State, or any other De¬ 
partment in the event that Mr. Adams should he elected ; nor 
1 believe any propositions were made to Mr. ( lay or his 
friends by Mr. Adams or his friends ;—it there were, l kimw 
it nut,. 


b 1 

S. t was frequently with Mr. Crawford, but he never bin* 
Ced at the presidential Election. The friends of Mr. Craw¬ 
ford, including Thomas H. Benton, T. W. Cobb, Jesse B. 
Thomas, Lewis McLane, Mr. Van Buren, and others, did 
press me to vote for Mr. Crawford, which (having lost Mr. 
Clay,) I readily admit, I was inclined to do had his health 
been good, ami would my vote have availed him. They ur¬ 
ged, however, no reasons other than the promotion of virtuo,' 
talents, and integrity ; nor did I understand his friends as 
acting hy the authority or consent of Mr. Crawford. 

3. The friends of Gen. Jackson, (including Thomas H* 
Benton, after he had abandoned Mr. Crawford,) did urge me 
in the most impetuous manner to vote for Gen. J. but I did mb 
understand them as doing so by the advice or consent of Ge 
J. though they frequently said he would do great things for the 
west if elected, that he was a man of strong gratitude, and 
Would go the whole for his friends and against his enemies. 

4. I never exchanged one syllable with Gen, Jackson in 
person on the subject of the Presidential Election, neither 
before or after the Election. 1 never made to General Jack- 
son, or to any of his friends, any proposition in reference to 
the Presidential Election, cither as regarded the ap¬ 
pointment of Mr. Clay, or any other person, to ofiice, or the 
exclusion of Mr. Adams, or any other person from ofiice. I 
was never spoken to by Mr. Clay or any of bis friends a - 
bout making any propositon to General Jackson or his 
friends of any kind whatsoever ; nor did lever hear it in¬ 
sinuated or hinted that, any proposition w as made or intended 
to be made by Mr. Clay, or his friends, to General Jackson 
or his friends, or to any other candidate or their friends, for 
or relating to the Presidency ; and I do believe had any 
proposition been made, or intended to have been made by 
Mr. Clay, or his friends, from my intimacy and constant in^ 
tercourse with them, l should have known or heard thereof. 

5. I never consulted oi advised with any one how I should 

vote, except with the two Senators From my own State, & with 
Mr. Clay whose advice I voluntarily solicited. The answer 
of Mr. Clay, to me when I requested his opinion and advice 
was substantially this : That 1 personally knew all the Can¬ 
didates well, that he would give no opinion that might go to 
the prejudice of any Candidate, or operate to influence any 
Elector ; that all he would say was that I ought not to be 
hasty and commit myself, but wait till the last moment for 
advices from my State, to the Legislature of which, then in 
session, I had applied for information on the subject of the 
Election. I have the honor to be, very respectfully. y»nr o* 
bedient servant, JOHN SCOTT.’ 

" Z>r. 7\ Watkin*) 




Frankfort , September 3i. 1837V 
Dear Sir: I have received your letter of the 23d. of July 
fast, and cannot hesitate to give you the statement you have 
requested. 

Some time in the fall of 1824, conversing upon the sub* 
ject of [the] then pending presidential election, & speaking \n 
eference to your exclusion from the contest &to your being 
Called upon to decide & vote between the other candidates who 
might be returned to the H. of R. you declared that you could 
uot, or that it was impossible for you to vote for Gen. Jackson* 
in any event. Such, I think, was nearly the language used 
by you, and, I am satisfied, contains the substance of what 
you said. My impression, is that this conversation took 
place at Capt. Wesigei’s tavern, in this town, not very long 
before you went on to Congress, in the fall preceeding the 
lastpresidential election; and that the declaration made by 
you as above stated, was elicited by some intimation that fell 
from me, of my preference for Gen. Jackson over all the otlr* 
cr candidates except yourself. It was one of the many casu** 
si conversations we had together upon the subject of that e~ 
lection, and various other subjects, and had entirely escaped 
from my mind, until my attention was particularly recalled 
to it after the election. 

I will add sir, that I have casually learned from my friend* 
Col. James Davidson, our state treasurer, (what you may 
probably have forgotten,) that you conversed with him about 
the same time upon the same subject, and made to him, in 
substance, the same declaration that you did to me. 

Notwithstanding the reluctance I feel at having mybnmhle 
'name drawn before the public, I could not in justice, refuse to 
give you the above statement of facts, with permission to uss 
it as you may think proper, for the purpose of your own vin¬ 
dication. I have the honor to be, yours &c. 

J. J. CRITTENDEN. 

IIon. El. Clay, Secretary of Stale. 

Frankfort, 20th October , 1827. 

Sir : During a visit you made to this place, in the fall of 
7824, and, I think only a few days prior to your leaving 
Kentucky to attend the Congress of the United States, you 
and myself were in conversation about the then pending pres¬ 
idential election ; in the course of which I remarked. “Mr. 
Clay, you will have to encounter some difficulty in making 
a selection amongst the candidates, should you be excluded 
from the House.” You replied, “I suppose not much ; in 
that event, 1 will endeavor to do my duty faithfully.” Ilhen 
btmrvcd, “I know you have objections to General Jackson> 



m 

rumor says, you have some to Mr. Adams atso-^and tfi£ 
health of Mr. Crawford is said to be very precarious: these 
are the reasons which induced me to suppose there would he 
some difficulty. You, In reply, remarked, “I cannot Qon- 
ceive-of any event that ran possibly happen, which could 
induce me to support the election of General Jackson to the 
Presidency : For, if i had no other objection, his want of the 
necessary qualification would be sufficient.” Your remarks 
made a strong and lasting impression on my mind ; and, 
when the resolutions, instructing our Senators, and request¬ 
ing our Representatives, in Congress, to vote for General 
Jackson, were under discussion in the House of Uepr< senta- 
tives, I informed several of my friends, that I had had a con¬ 
versation with you on the subject to which the resolutions 
referred, and that I was convinced you would not support the 
General ; and to Georg# Robertson Esq. late Speaker of the 
House of Representatives of the State, I gave the substance 
of your remarks to me, and he concurred with me in the o- 
pinion that you could not, consistently, under any circum¬ 
stances, vote for the General ; and when the resolutions a- 
bove mentioned, were before the Senate, (in which I then had 
the honor of a seat,) I opposed them, and amongst other views 
I then took, I stated to that body, “that all the resolutions 
we could pass during the whole session, would not induce 
you to abandon what you conceived to be your duty, and 
that 1 knew you could not concur with the majority of the le¬ 
gislature on that subject.” 

Yours, respectfully, JAMES DAVIDSON# 

B. Clay 9 Esq. 

Washington JWi\ IT, IS 

Bear Sir: In answer to your letter of the 26th, I ha vp 
hesitation to state the purport of the several conversation^ 
that t had with you, in relation to the presidential election 
during the session of 1824 — 5. 

I met you for the first time on your return to Washington, 
in Dec, 1824, on Saturday or Sunday evening previous to 
the meeting of Congress, and at that time we had a long and 
free conversation on the approaching election. I said to you, 
It was still uncertain whether you or Mr. Crawford would 
be returned to the House of Representatives, but from th® 
information I had, I believed you would receive the vote of 
Louisiana, and be returned as the third candidate. 

1 expressed to you some solicititude about the election, 
and the hope that we should pass quietly through it; I said 
that l apprehended a protracted struggle; that while three 
Candidates remained before the hpusc, it would be difficult for 
Either to Obtain a majority* That the excitement which the 


/ 


allow your name to in* 
lie question by the house, 
country lias a right to 


S€ 

fanfetf natural produced would dailt increase, Chat the paf^ 
ties would become obstinate, that the people might be dissatis¬ 
fied and that some agitation might bi produced. That for 
the character, as will as the tr^nqo lity of the. country, it was 
desirable that we should pass through it safely—You replied* 
that you would not permit the country to be disturbed a day 
<on your account, that you would not 
terfere with the prompt decision oft 
\ said, if it becomes necessary, the 
oxpect, and will expect that of you. 

You informed me you had seen Mr. Crawford, that you had 
been shocked with his appearance, tjiat notwithstanding all 
you had heard, you had no idea qlf his actual condition. 
And after expressing the sympathy which his misfortunes 
excited, you said he was incapable *f performing the duties 
of the executive, a ad it was out of {he question to think of 
making him president. 

I remarked to yen, that in all probability, the contest 
would be finally reduced to Mr. Adams and Gen. Jackson, 
and the conversation turned upon their comparative merit 1 
and qualifications, and a long discussion ensued; you drew a 
parallel between them, in a manner 1 thought very just and 
respectfully to both. You concluded by expressing a pre- 
ference for Mr. Adams, which turned principallyon his tal¬ 
ents and experience in civil affairs. I alluded to your criti¬ 
cal position between the two parties, and the great responsi¬ 
bility under which you would act. You said it was true, but 
Could not be avoided, it was a duty imposed by your situa¬ 
tion and that you would meet it as any other public duty. 

I intimated to you, that in the present stage, it would be 
improper to make known your sentiments, that there wer© 
strong motives for your not taking an active part in the con¬ 
test. I suggested the relation in which you stood to the 
bouse, to the parties, and to the country, and said that great 
influence would be attributed to your opinion, that all parties 
would look to your course with interest, and that you would 
act under great responsibility, [thought there was no ne» 
cessity for increasing the difficulties of your situation by 
king a part in the election, and that it would be better to let 
it take its cours e I left you under the impression that yoS 
concurred in these views. 

I saw you again on the return of the votes from Louisian^ 
fry which it was ascertained that you were excluded from the 
£j m ;se. I then took the liberty of repeating to you all that 
1 h&d be*? 1 *® said m regard to the course you ought to pursue. 

I urged the co- ls * t ^ ra ^° r * °f your being the presiding officer 
of the House, yyher© new questions might arise during the 
ejection* anil such reflections 39 tsemwi fjo 







h* 

said ym were aware of the danger, as well as the delicacy of 
y'iij; position, and tba‘ you would leave you?’ friends per¬ 
fectly at liberty to exercise their own judgments, f will add 
that no instance came within mj knowledge in which you de¬ 
viate! from this course. My opinion was* and still is, that 
ynu behaved with the greatest propriety* in the situation in 
■which you were placed. 

I conversed with yoir in a Walk to the Capitol on the in* 
Str' ' , r : f t!w Legislature of Kentucky, You still ex* 
pc- I t Ur determination to vote for Mr. Adams. You 
said Lcgilature had no right to direct you in Abe dis¬ 
charge of yr r duty $ that you had received no instruction# 
to vote for Q n. Jackson from your own district, that the in- 
st^'actions and 1 tiers you had received, directed you to pay 
no attention t > the Legislative instructions, bat to act upon 
your own judgment and do the best for th^ country. You 
said you were not only free to choose, but yon were under a 
great personal responsibility. That you would acquit your¬ 
self in the disrhargeof this duty by making the best choicfc 
under all ciicumstances. That you believed Mr. Adams 
was the ablest and safest man, and you would act under that 
Conviction 

I calird on you on the morning of the publication of your 
card. You said that I would now see that the delicacy you 
had observed had procured no respect or forbearance towards 
you f you spoke with some indignation at the means which 
had been employed, as well as the motives of those by whom 
you w<*re assailed. You spoke of anonymous letters full of 
abuse and menace, letters written at Washington, to be pub¬ 
lished afclifferent places! &of the letter which had been no¬ 
ticed in your Card, &c. I observed, you must expect all 
this.-—You must have foreseen that at some, time the storm 
would burst on your head,—You nui3t prepare to meet it 
firmly, and bear it patiently. A public man must rely upon 
the weight of his character, and the justice of his Country* 
and I added that I still believed the course you had pursu¬ 
ed in the election the most correct. You said you should 
continue as you had done to disregard newspaper and 'anony¬ 
mous abuse, but this paper was published on ?he authority of 
a member of the H. of Kepresentathes, and therefore deserve 
<3d to be.met openly. 

In referring to the terms of this letter, you observed that 
you did not know tha you would be Ifered a place in any ad¬ 
min stration, nor did you know who would compose the 
Cabinet of either Candidate. That you could not be the 
lu mber of any cabinet, that would require you to advocate 
principles different from those you had always maintai¬ 
ned before the ; ublir, and for the fupport of which yofiff 
^ablic character wa# pledged. 


fhe tender of the office of Secretary of State, you con* 
Suited with me on the acceptance or refus :il of the office. You 
stated all the reasons private and public, for and against the 
acceptance, «nd asked rny opinion. I said it was an occasion 
in which you ought to consult freely your friends and act by 
Iheir advice. My own opinion is, you must accept ; in the 
situation in which you have been placed by circumstances you 
have no choice ;—and I suggested some reasons of a public 
nature why yon ought to be a member offhe Cabinet. 

Aft<*r vour nomination was confirmed, you informed me 
Hiat ypulbad requested Gen. Harrison to move for a Corn- 
mirtee in the Senate, if any thing occurred to make it necess¬ 
ary. I replied that I did not think any thing had occurred io 
require a Committee on.vcwr part. 

The foregoing is the pin port of several conversations; f 
cannot pretend to preserve the language, but it is a true and 
faithful statement of the substance of your opinions and 
views so far as they were known to me. 

I avail myself of the . occasion, although not called for by 
your letter, to state that I had occasional communications 
with you and severalof your friends in which the conversa¬ 
tion was free and unreserved. 

That no fact ever came to my knowledge, that could in the 
slightestedegree justify the charge which has been exhibited. 
On the contrary, I know that your opinion did not undergo 
any change from the time I first saw you on your return to 
Washington. I have reason to believe that any silence and 
reserve which you observed during the contest, was dictated 
hy a sentiment of delicacy to the Candidates, and by a sense 
of self-respect, as well as of duty to the office you held in the 
House. 

I will add that during the present summer, I met with two 
gentlemen in the State of Mississippi, who voluntarily told 
me that they heard you express your decided preference of 
Mr. Adams at Lexington, before you left home for Wash* 
fngton. With great regard, your obedient servant, 

J. S. JOHNSTON* 

Washington Dec . 8, 182? 

Dear Sir: In answer to your esteemed favor- of the 7th inst. 
requesting me to state any recollection that I may have of a 
conversation which took place at your lodgings, concerning 
the election of president of the United States, I can say, 
I distinctly recollect that on the 20th Dec* 1824, w hich w as 
the day of my arrival here from the State of Louisiana, to 
take my seat iri the senate of the U. States, I called on you 
the same evening, and in the course of a conversation, in 
%\tikh l informed you that you had lost the votes of Loebiamr* 


8f 

I deSirecf toIcnow who you intended to vote fi r as preai<Tect| 
you then told me without any hesitation, that you would vot© 
for* Mr. Adams in preference to Gen. Jackson. With grej7$ 
respect, yours respectfully. B. BOLL3GNY* 

M ashitigfon, August 14 th 182f< 

I certify that in the early part of the session of Congees# 
54—5. I dined at the Columbian College with Gen. La Fay* 
Cite, Mr. Clay and others on returning from that dinner to 
town, Mr. Clay and myself (tlrere being no other person 
with us) came in the same hack. During the ride our con¬ 
versation turned on the then depending presidential election. ! 
expressed myself, in the event of the contest being narrowed 
down to Mr. Adams and Gen. Jackson, in favor of Mr. A&* 
3ms;and Mr. Clay expressed a Coincidence of opinion. 

JAMES BARBOUR 

La Grange, Oct. 10, 1827. 

My Dear Sir: Having accidently omitted the last opportut 
fcity to answer your most valued favor, August 10th, I aval? 
Snyself of the next {jacket to offer ray affectionate thanks, and 
request, as much as the pleasure of business allows it, th© 
very high gratification of your correspondence. 

Your diplomatic accounts from Europe leave little to say* 
and, although a member of that House, by Couttesey, called 
Hepresentative, 1 am not the wiser nor shall I be the more' 
Useful for it. A dissolution of the House is much spoken of 
—-the ministry are recording the new electoral lists 3ft 
conseqiK ice of a late bill mingling the vote of election with 
the duties of juror, to which,-however, some additions have 
been m de. As the public mind is progressing and several 
wilful .i rons have been forcible rectified, a liberal opposition 
©an v fail to be more numerous: The question with govern¬ 
ment is—whether they will this year meet a larger minority, 
with a seven years new lease, or hereafter risk to have a’ 
majority against them, or at. least a stronger* opposition than 
that to w hich, in ease of dissolution, they must now submit* 

The account of the funerals ©f Manuel having been indicted 
before an inferior tribunal, and our speeches on his tomb 
making a part of the impeachment of the publishers, it be> 
came the duty of Mon. Lafittc, , and myself to claim oitv 
share in the trial, which we could not obtain; but a judg¬ 
ment of the Court, very properly and liberally worded, has 
acquitted the selected objects of the accusation. An appeal 
from that decision to the Superior Court/ hasy it is &aid, 
taken place. 

The intervention of three great Powers in the affairs of 
Greece seem to promise a respite, although it has not pr: 



Rented the arrival of an Egyptian fleet, and a body of snfea 
diers. There is, however, some good in the notification 
made by the French and English Admirals impending further 
progress. The meditation has been accepted by the Greeks. 
The Ottoman Porte hitherto refuses it. So far, they oblige 
the mediators to commit themselves a little more and if they 
are sincere, the Porte must yield at last. It is obvious to eve¬ 
ry looker-on, that those powers are jealous of liberty, o£ 
complete emancipation, and jealous of each other. If any 
body can play the difficult game, it must be Capodistria, who 
is now on his third station, that of Paris, before he proceeds 
to the Presidential Chair. He unites in his person an excli** 
Sive coincidence of happy circumstances Af'tfcr he has manage 
ed those discordant elements, there will be other discordance 
es to be managed at home, for which he also seems to be the 
proper and exclusive man. Upon the whole, the existence 
of Greece is rather more secured than it has been of late. 

I have received a letter from our friend Poinsettc, and can- 
tiot but observe with him, the general and especial attempts 
that have been lately directed against the peace, harmony, 
and institutions of the Republican States of South America 
and Mexico. It is very natural to see the Republican Min* 
fster, of North America, but t© those monarchical and arisfo* 
cratical factions. That the imputation is given from Eu¬ 
rope, is not, I think, to be questioned; but I have received 
trith deep regret the part of your letter alluding to a man 
w hose glory, great talents, & hitherto experienced patriotism 
I have delighted to cherish. Several painful informations had 
reached me, which altogether, & many more besides, could not 
weigh so much with me as your* own sense of the matter. I beg 
you to continue to write on the subject* & on every matter rela¬ 
tive to public concerns* to my friends, & particularly to you 
Who know my old, grateful, and sincere affection* 

Blessed as I have lately been with the welcome, and con-' 
cions, ns it is my happy lot to be, of the affection and confi 
donee of all parties, and all men in every party w ithin the U** 
tilted States, feelings winch I most cordially reciprocate, I 
ever have thought myself bound to avoid taking auy-part iu 
local or personal divisions. Indeed, if 1 thought that in 
these matters my influence could be of any avail, it should 
be solely exerted to deprecate, not by far, the free, republican, 
•ml full discussion of principles and candidates, but those 
in vi duo Us slanders which, although they are happily repell¬ 
ed by the good sense, the candor, and in domestic instances* 
by the delicacy of tire American people, tend to give abroad 
incorrect and disparaging impressions. Yet that line of con¬ 
duct, from which I must not deviate, except in imminent ca- 
to now out of the question, docs rtot imply a forgetfulness 


St 

bf facts, nor a refusal to state them occasionally. ^My r&, 
membrance concurs with your own on this point that, in tho 
latter end of l|eceraber, either before or after my visit to 
Annapolis, you being out ot the Presidential Candidature * 
and alter having expressed my above mentioned motives of 
forbearance, I, by way of a confidential exception, allowed 
myself to put a simple unqualified question respecting ynar e- 
Jectioneering guess, and your intended vote. Your ans ut* 
w as that, in your opinion, the actual state of health of Miv 
Crawford had limited the contest to a choice between Mr# 
Adams and Gen Jackson, that a claim founded on military 
a••hievements did not meet your preference, ami that you had 
concluded to vote for Mr Adams. Such has been, if not the 
literal wording, at least the precise sense of a conversation, 
w hich it would have been inconsistent for me to carry further 
and not to keep a secret, w hile a recollection of it, to assist 
y >n* memory, 1 should not now deny, not only to you as 
Biy friend, but to any man in a similar situation. 

Present my affectionate secrets to Mrs. Clay—remember 
trie to all your faV.Iy, and to our friends in Washington. I 
will write by the same packet to the President. B*diere mo 
forever your sincere obliged friend. JLAFAYKTIEj 

1eT 

Rockville , N&t. 3, 1827* 

Dear Sir : You requested me to state the expressions tr¬ 
eed by Gen. Call on bis way to Congress in !8 >4 touching the 
contemplated vote of Mr. Clay for President. In the annex¬ 
ed statement, I have complied with your request. There was 
tnirch other conversation, but l have confined myself striettf* 
to your inquiry. Respectfully, your obedient servant, 

JOHN BRADDOCft 

B . S. Forests Esq . 

Rockville , Montgomery County , {Md .) Mov. 3, 1827. 

In the Fall of the year 1824 I saw Gen. Call and several 
other Gentlemen, members of Congress, on their way to 
Washington, at a tavern in Rockville ; they were convers¬ 
ing on the subject of the Presidential election, and when tlie 
vote which Mr. Clay would probably give was spoken of, 
Gen. Call declarded that t ie friends of Gen. Jackson did not 
expect Mr. Clay to vote for him. and if he did so, it would 
be an act of duplicity upon his part, 

JOHN BR \DDOCK. 

In stating the declaration of Geo. Call in the subject of 
Mr* Clay’s vote, I have omitted an expletive which should 
fiave been introduced before the word duplicity* Save tha£ 
<hc foregoing is literally hu language, J. Ih 


Philadelphia, &d. 2, .1*827, 

Sir: In answer to yours of yesterday’s date requesting rne 
to state to you the particulars of some remarks which you 
’were informed 1 h$d heard Gen. Jackson use on the subject 
oi the last Presidential Election, 1 ha vie to state that ori my 
way down the Ohio from Wheeling to Cincinnatti, in the 
mouth of March 1855, on board the steam- boat General Ne¬ 
ville, among many other passengers were Gen. Jackson, ami 
a number of Gentlemen from Pennsylvania, some of 
v horn remarked to the General that they regretted that he 
ha<i not been elected President instead id Mr. Adams. Gem 
Jackson replied that if he would have made the same promis¬ 
es and offers to Mr. Clay that Mr. Adams had done, tie 
(General Jackson) would then in. that case have been in the 
Pi csidentmlJChair, but he would make no promises to any $ 
that.if he went to the Presidential chair he would go with 
Clean hands and uncontrolled by any one. 

These remarks were made by General J ackson in the hear¬ 
ing of James Parker, of Chester County- **lr. Win. Crows? 
tliii of this city 9 and myself, and a number of other gentle* 
fcneh unknown to me. 

i am, most respectfully, yours, &c. 

DANIEL LARGE* 

& tunnel Witherill , Esq, 

Philadelphia , Qct. 5 , 1827. 

The statement made by Mr. Daniel Large in the prefixed 
letter, is a faithful account of Gen. Jackson’s conversation 
oh the occasion alluded to, 

WILLIAM CROWSDILL, 


In the winter of 1^26-7, Mr. Thomas Sloan of Brownsville* 
Pa. in a conversation in my bar room respecting the election 
oi the President of the United States, and of the corrupt bar¬ 
gain and intrigue which procured his election, expressed his 
opinion to be that such practices had been resorted to by Mr* 
Clay ami his friends, and justified his belief, by stating that 
Gen. Jackson had informed lint so, in a conversation with 
him at Brownsville, and which was in substance the same 
since communicated to the public by Genera! Jackson. 

I further certify that 1 lately wrote to Mr. Sloan, request¬ 
ing him to give a certificate of Gen. Jackson’s statement to 
him, but have not received ids answer. 

RICHARD SIMMS. 

ff heelings Uect 19th 



61 

io tia© winter of l B&6—f, Mr, Thoma3 Sdoau of BrowGSviitev 
Hi • conversation in my presence, respecting the election of tho 
present President of the United States, and of the corrupt bar** 
gain and intrigue which procured his election, expressed his o" 
pinion to be that 9uh practices had been resorted toby Mr« 
f^av ; and justified hie belief by relating a conversation which 
hr bad had on hat subject with Gtn Jackson at Brownsville, oq 
his return home from Washington City, after tho election Mr, 
Sloan rehearsed at length the statement made to him by th© 
General, and which was in substance the same since eommuni. 
cated to the public by General Jackson Mr. Sl«an further 
said that a company, of which he was one, had met the General 
rear to Brrwtutyille, and escorted him in’o town, which was the 
fcecusion on which he had made the communica’ion referred 

ALDEN R* HOWEt 

Wh tiling* Va. Dec. 19 th, 1827* 

(IT 

MR. BRENT’S STATEMENT* 

See N e.-’- Register. V I 28, Page 25.) 

From the National Journal . 

£lt appears that previous to the publication of the annexed 
statement, a copy ot it wa9 sent to Mr. Kremer by Mr. Brent* 
with a request that he would examine it, and if he discovered any 
inaccuracies, suggest such alterations as he should deem necs93* 
ary 1 

February 25, 1825. 

I stats without hesitation, that on the da) on which the debat© 
took place in *he House of Representatives, on the proposition 
to refer Mr. Clay’s communication respecting “Mr. Kremer’a 
card” to a committee, I heard Mr Kremer declare at the fire 
place, in the lobby of the House of Representatives in a manner 
and language which I believed sincere, that he never intended 
to charge Mr Clay with corruption or dishonour in his intended 
vote for Mr. Adams as President, or that he had transferred, or 
could transfer the votes or interest of his friends; that he (Mr, 
Kremer) was among the last men in the nation to make such © 
charge against Mr Clay, end that his fMr Kremer’sJ^letter 
never was intended to convey the ideas given to it. The sub-» 
stance of the above conversation I immediately communicated 
to Mr Buchanan and Mr. Hemphill, of Pennsylvania and Mr* 
Xiwight of Massachusetts* of the Hnu ' ~ r " 

J was present, and heard the observe 
conversation between Mr. Brent and M 

PETE 

Mr. D gges, who was present when thw wuuversauon referred 
to took place, has affiimcd the truth cf Mr Brent’s statement, as 
follows; 

March t, 1825. 

3& the National Journal I perceive my nams.iuentisaed as to & 





conversation which took place in the lobby of tbeHou sc of Re*, 
presentatives, between Mr Brent of Louisiana and Mr Kremer, 
And l feel no hesitation in saying that Mr. Brent's statement is 
the paper of this day, is substantially correct. 

WILLIAM DUDLEY DIGGES. 

Extract of a letter from Joseph Kent, Governor of Maryland?' 
£D a gentleman of Frankfort Kentucky, dated 

Rosemont , May 1 5 th, 182 7* 

“I have 3een so little of late from your State upon the subject 
of politics, that 1 do not know whether the violence of the op' 
position to th« present Administration has extended itself among 
you or not. Our friend Mr Clay appears to be the chief object 
of persecuton with the opposition Theyjgtre with great indus* 
try conducting^ systematical attack- upon him which commen¬ 
ced with the Kremer story, which was an entire fabrication. At 
the time the plot opened I was a member of the House of Rep¬ 
resentatives, and heard Kremer declare he never designed td 
Charge Mr. Clay with any thing dishonorable in his life." 

“The old man, naturally honest, was imposed on at the time by 
a powerful influence, and constrained to act his part in an affair, 
which from beginning to end, was as much a fiction as the Merry 
Wives of Windsor, or the School for Scandal. The attack on 
Mr. Clay during the late session of Congress by Gen Saundcrs f 
as far as I could judge from the debate as published, proved an 
entire abortion, and I hardly know which surprised me most, 
the folly of the attack, or the inconsistency of the General. You 
have seen, no doubt, that Mr F Johnson stated in his reply to 
Gen. Saunders, that at the time of the Presidential election in the 
House of Representatives, he, Gen. $ was decidedly in 
favour of Mr. Adams in preference to Gen. Jackson In confirm® 
etion of what Mr Johnson h3s stated, I well remember that not 
ten minutes before the election Gen. Saunders came to me, with, 
an anxious countenance, discovering deep concern indeed, & used 
these emphatic words"—“I hope to God you may be able to ter 
iminate the election on the first ballot, for fear we from North. 
Carolina may be forced to vote for Gen. Jackson " “North Car. 
clina, you know, voted in the House of Representatives for Mr. 
Crawford whose prospect of buccess was hopeless, although the 
electors of that state gavo their votes in favour of Gen. Jackson. 
Knowing the deep interest you have always taken in Mr. CIsy’e 
Welfare, I have been induced to give you for your personal satis., 
faction, these particulars. Mr (May I have known intimately 
foe sixteen years ; his public career i9 completly identified w ith 
every event of the country from that period to the present time; 
whether in peace or war During the late war I have seen the 
House of Representatives, after having gone out of Committee of 
ihe whole, return to it again, for the sole purpose of affording 
Mr. Clay, an opportunity (then Speaker) of putting down the 
desperate and infuriated advocates of British tyranny, insuit and 

But his eascaisg Mr*> Adanqa ha rained 




This is sss A rtion without proof* and is destitute of truth* as ii f£ 
©f mnnly frankness. His superior qualifications placed him in 
tht Department nf Statfc, and history furnibhes no instance, when 
so superior a man ever had to bargain for a high station* for 
which his peculiar fitness was evident to everyone. In Mary* 
land the Administration is daily gaining ground, and by the time 
tie election occurs, I hope we shall be able to present an un? 
divided front in their support *• 


Washington City, Bee. 1 7th. 18$P. 

Sir. —Yotir letter of the 14th uit. covering the Lextngtoft 
Virginia Intelligencer of that date, has been duly received 
and in answer to the enquiries you put to me, 1 have to state 
that the article in which you invite my attention, is substan¬ 
tially, not verbally, correct, so far as represents me as say* 
in.g that I was inform 'd by Mr. Clay in the forepart of De* 
Cember 1824, that he intended to vote for Mr. Adams. There 
"Was no mistake in the date, as a visit which I made to you© 
part of Virginia about that time enables me to fix it with cer¬ 
tainty. I left Washington, on that visit, about the 15th of 
December and bad received the information of Mr. Clay be¬ 
fore I sat out and told it, white absent, in the family of my 
father-in-law, Colonel McDowell, of your county. But the 
inference so much insisted upon, that I must have t®id the 
same thing to Mr. Eaton and others of my political friends, is 
w holly erroneous: for having no authority from Mr. Clay to 
promulgate his intentions, I only spoke of them in the bosom 
of a private family at. two hundred miles distance from Wash¬ 
ington-— Since that period, and especially during the present 
summer, I have on several occasions, and some times in the 
presence of political opponents, w hen the course of conversa¬ 
tion led me to it, mentioned what I knew of Mi. Clay’s early 
intention to vote for Mr. Adams: and in this way I came te> 
apeak it again, some two or three weeks since in the house of 
my father-in-law, where I had first spoken of It near 3 years 
ago, and whence, with some additions and variations, without 
the privity of any one present at the conversation, it has crept 
into the paper which you have sent me. 

No one ever asked my leave to publish what I said; if any 
one had, the authors of the pub lication in the Lexington pa¬ 
per might have been spared an office which must, have been 
inexpressibly painful to their honorable feelings, as I should 
not have refused to the administration any testimony in my 
favor to give notw ithstanding the character of the war wkiefc 
.i^rp bcdy of their forces are carrying on agaicst me. 

Yours respectfully, 

> yiiOMAS a, »ENTQJ5$ 






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